Lacesco Series
by Lammybug
Summary: Written for the Fanfic50 Word Prompts on LJ. Prompts will be based on the Noctum/Eclipse Series, Adventum Aduro or as stand alones. Now Complete!
1. Spiritus

**A/N:** I am back! This is the _**Lacesco Series**_. This collection of fics is based off the Fanfic50 challenge on LJ. For a list of all the word prompts I'm following, you can follow the link to my LJ. It's the only entry you will see so you won't miss it. For any update information, please refer to my Profile, since I still update it as often as I can. These prompts may refer to the Noctum/Eclipse Series, Adventum Aduro or as stand alones. It depends on how I feel, but I will always give you a heads up in my A/N for each. They will not all be fluffy but they will be centered around Noctis and Stella. Enjoy!

**Summary:** Sometimes the validity of touch is what you need to believe.

**Disclaimer:** For entertainment purposes only.

**Prompt:** #5 Spirit

**Additional Notes: **Stand Alone

**Spiritus** is Latin for "spirit" and **Lacesco** is Latin for "challenge".

_**Spiritus**_

Amid the dreary and exhaustive nights, when they had to reluctantly stop on their journey for some much needed rest, she would find herself feeling quite alone. Being the lone female in their party of five was at times, distressing. She had never considered herself a social butterfly, but being a Princess had allowed her to experience the interactions amongst various types of people. This though, was an entirely different circumstance entirely. Social gatherings at the castle only lasted so long but here, she was to stay with her companions on a twenty-four hour basis for an insurmountable time. Even her vast experiences with different diplomats and visiting dignitaries could not have prepared her psychologically for trailing both day and night with a band of friends, let alone all men. Men who had been friends since childhood whereas they were still relatively strangers to her.

Two of her companions were by far the most vocal, boisterous and downright loud men that she had ever met. One especially, spoke with little abandon and even less decorum. Still, there was a loveable aspect to their shameless, perhaps raunchy comments. As long as they were never directed at her person, she found herself actually ghosting a smile now when she heard them. It was refreshing to know exactly how another was feeling after a lifetime of having to read carefully between the lines. Against all odds, she found herself becoming very comfortable in their company. It was just that, as close as she felt she was becoming to them, they could not help her with this particular one puzzlement. This _thing_ that had been happening with surprising regularity that she was surprised that none of the other three had noticed them happening at all. It was this very predicament that had her craving for another female companion, simply to have another woman's opinion on the matter!

True, the occurrences did not happen every day. The first couple of times it had happened, it had happened so fast that she was not even sure it had actually occurred. Then, it had happened again. With each passing time, the moment began to linger. It lingered longer and longer until finally, she decided that perhaps action needed to be taken. Which is why she needed another woman's opinion. None of her companions could offer her insights that only feminine intuition could provide. So she was left her own devices. She just needed to figure out how she was going to be handling the next time it happened. As the days went by and it did not happen again, she grew more resolved to prepare herself for the inevitability of its coming. She knew it would be coming soon. She just needed to take a deep breath and remember that she needed to have her wits about her. So, as she settled into her small makeshift bed by the camp fire, she resolved to do just that. Closing her eyes, she took a deep, cleansing breath of the refreshing night air and fell asleep, hoping that she would in fact have her wits about her when next her eyes opened.

A small groan escapes her lips as she becomes aware of various things. With eyes still closed with the last vestiges of sleep, she can hear the familiar sounds of morning. Through closed lids, she can see the brightness of the soon to fully dawn sun. It was not quite up yet, but the rays of warmth that touched her face, signaled its impending rise. She inhales the scents of a misty morning and the small hints of smoke from their dead fire. There was a slight chill in the air that caused a shiver to run through her spine. Something else though, something that did not quite fit in with the natural scents of a new morning but her foggy mind is too busy waking up to think more on it. She slowly opens her blue eyes to welcome the new day.

The sight that greets her, stuns her into immobility when she sees that there are two dark blue eyes gazing intensely at her face. They are so close that she cannot see more than the eyes that captivate her. She watches, unable to do more than blink, as those entrancing eyes follow every line of her face. They move along the curves of her cheeks to the lines of her eyes to the arches of her lips. It is her lips that interest them the most, she notices not for the first time. There is a temptation there, in the depths of those eyes. She finds she wishes that they would give in.

"Are you real?" she asks softly, amazed that she could sound so soothing within this tension laced moment.

Blue eyes look startled as they fly to hers in surprise and she wants to smile at catching him off guard for once. They then turn pensive as they look intently at her lips again. He does not say anything for so long that she does not believe that he will answer her. She does not really expect an answer anyway.

"I often wonder if you are truly flesh," he responds finally. His eyes are hesitant as they reach up to meet hers.

"What else would I be?" she asks curiously.

"A spirit," he answers.

She is not sure how she should be taking this, but if he meant offense, she is sure he would have said something completely different. Somehow, she understands what he means. Sometimes she found herself watching him on their journey and wonder, like he seems to, if he was real too. It comforts her to know that he feels the same. So, with a sure hand, she reaches up and touches his lips with the tips of her fingers.

The contact startles him and she can see the vulnerability in his eyes. It is then that she knows what power is. The power that she has over him. It was a parallel power that he held over her. He was not a creature that was touched very often, nor did he welcome touch from must anyone. The smile that graces her lips with this thought lights up her face and has him tilting his head at an angle to stare inquisitively at her in return.

"Spirits cannot touch," she reasons, looking up into his eyes. Her fingers lightly trace along the lines of his lips. "For they are not flesh but I can touch you."

Under the tips of her fingers, she can feel the curve of a smile on his lips and she can see the twinkle that has appeared in his eyes. A black gloved hand reaches up and carefully brushes back some of her golden hair before coming to linger over her own mouth.

"And I can touch you," he replies, with that smirk of his that had the ability of making her heart race. The hand lingers over her lips but he does not fully make contact with the tender skin. Then he reaches to take the hand that is still touching his own lips and holds it away. There is a silent moment and she can feel the tension between them solidify as if it were a living thing between them as they share a look. "Can lips do what hands do?"

Her eyes go to their joined hands and then back up into his amused eyes. She tilts her own head to the side as she pretends to ponder her answer. At just this angle, the sun is shining just behind his spiky, midnight hair, casting a black halo around his head. Her own dark, avenging angel that monsters and men feared to cross. Yet with her, he has always been something else entirely. He was not an angel. He was a man and for some inexplicable reason, he had chosen to bring her with him. To realize that he had been gazing at her all these mornings because he found her to be ethereal was beyond comprehension. Not when it was he who would be legend. He was the one who was otherworldly. He was the one stronger than spirit.

"You mean, pray?" she asks coyly and there are actual wrinkles beside his eyes as a real smile crosses his lips.

He is just about to answer when they both hear a groan from one of their companions, signaling their inevitable rise.

"Perhaps one day," he says mischievously. "They will do more than pray."

She smiles back at him before he rises easily to his feet and disappears just as his ruffle haired friend sits up with a large yawn escaping his mouth.

**

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End Notes:

I couldn't resist adding in the shout outs to Romeo and Juliet since so many compare these two to that story. 


	2. Philologus

**A/N**: This is based on The Eclipse Series. Noctis' POV.

**Prompt:** #35 Doctor

**Summary: **Even smart men can be dense.

Doctor and Philologus are Latin for "Learned Man".

_**Philologus**_

There had been many times he had fought the urge to stand and gawk rather foolishly, whenever his friend worked so swiftly and methodically before him. The results that came out of Sapien's efforts always astounded him. The man was much more than just a learned man. He was a genius. In the times of crises, he always knew who he had to go to when he needed something done and not just done, but done well. True, he had Vires and he had Des, but neither of those two were as effective as Sapien. Well, they were compelled to activity because of Sapien's initial instruction and guidance. They had never really gotten a chance to show if they could, though there had always been room for improvisation on each of their parts, but that is another thought entirely.

There was always that knowing glint in Sapien's eyes that told you, he could read exactly what you were thinking, when you were thinking it. He has never met another man that could read anyone so well as his spectacle wearing friend. So he is very thankful that this man was his best friend and most trusted confidante. He does not think he would have been half as progressive with his life if Sapien had been his enemy. He is sure he would have failed, miserably.

Knowing all this and being as close to him as he was, he could not understand how Sapien could miss that Mira had loved him all along. Or how Mira, could not see just how deeply Sapien loved her back. They were two very observant people. They were two very insightful people that saw things that nobody else did not. So how both could have missed something so obvious to someone like him, was all together baffling. He had watched them during Stella's pregnancy with Lumina like two people utterly clueless and lost. They had been so uncharacteristically daft.

Sapien always had the uncanny ability of hiding his emotions rather well. So anyone who was not so well acquainted with him as he was, would not have noticed. Even as dense as Des could be, even he had noticed the shift in Sapien's personality during that stressful time. Only Des never did have enough of an attention span to think it over entirely and had not figured out the real reason behind Sapien's sudden change in demeanor. It was hard not to when the change was minor to all but the three who knew him best. He is rather thankful that Des had not figured it out. They were all saved from the blatant and vocal remarks that would have come out of his mouth. Vires, who was much more patient, seemed to have realized the truth of the matter and had wisely remained silent on the subject. All it had taken was an exchanged look between himself and Vires for the two of them to know that the other already knew and vice versa. There was really nothing else to be said, or unsaid as was in this case, between them.

At first, it had been a little humorous to witness two people who were so good at knowing things before they happened, be so profoundly ignorant to the feelings they both possessed for each other. Then he had noticed the shift. The amusement had disappeared then. It was then changed to confusion and then exasperation as the shift became a rift. Then it became a chasm. A chasm certainly would not due when the both of them suited each other so well. Yet, it was not until the night of Lumina's heart wrenching birth, that he had finally been compelled to action. Enough had been enough, after that. Especially after watching just how much the chasm between Sapien and Mira was tearing up his friend. So, a day went by and after making sure that his wife and children were going to all be fine, he had ventured to find his brother.

"What is wrong with you?"

The carefully administered expression, completely devoid of emotion, that came in response to his question almost tempted to him to cuff Sapien in exasperation. He had completely understood how Sapien must have felt when he and Stella had, had their own chasm before. He had been in as bad shape as Sapien had been in that moment.

"What do you mean?" Sapien responded with a carefully neutral tone.

"Do something," he said, not even bothering to point out the obvious.

A long pause followed in what he knew was spent with Sapien debating whether it was pointless to deny it or not.

"I did," was the slow answer, but there was emotion in the tone then. "That was the mistake."

"An obvious something? Or rather a subtle something?" he asked, giving him a skeptical look.

"It should have been obvious," was the monotonous reply.

That response caused him to sigh with an understanding nod. It had been more than obvious that Sapien was more than hurt. Something must have been everything because Sapien never did anything by halves. He had wondered just what had happened to make things this awful.

"You know," he pointed out a moment later, while diverting his eyes to the distance, but still kept a view of Sapien's face. "For intelligent men, we have both been rather stupid."

"More so I, than you," responded Sapien. Anyone else would have sighed out loud, but somehow Sapien managed to keep the sigh within. "At least Stella never stopped wanting to talk to you."

"There must be a logical reason," he explained.

"The logical reason is that she didn't appreciate my attention."

Just then, they had both seen Mira walking out in the gardens just below. Sapien had gone very still but his eyes moved with Mira's form as she walked about the garden, gathering flowers for Stella. He had watched as Sapien seemed glued to her every movement like a man would at something he absolutely had to have but realized he could not. Something he craved more than his next breath nonetheless. It reminded him of when he had purposely kept Stella away. That deeply entrenched ache that could feel no relief until she was in his arms again. It was the same thing he felt more for Stella in each passing day and it was only when he saw her smiling face that he felt at peace once again.

"Mira is not a fool," he worded carefully, watching Sapien blink up at him in surprise.

"Of course she's not," Sapien stated with a confused frown.

"Then she could not refuse to love you," he stated simply.

The emotion expressed on Sapien was a mixture of open skepticism and a miniscule amount of hope before turning back to continue watching Mira. There was nothing more that he could say after that. It was not his place to give advice on the sensitive issues of the heart when he had just been fortunate enough to have someone as patient and wonderful as Stella to love him back. Especially when he had not exactly been wise during the course of his courtship with Stella at all. From the look on Sapien's face, he had known that something was going to give. The inevitable snap, he hoped, would bring about happiness to a friend that he considered his closest brother. One who he thought deserved it more than all others.

With no more need to say anything else, he had left his friend to continue watching Mira alone. The conversation he had left him with an all encompassing need to see his own beloved. With quick strides and a few cheating teleports later, he was within their rooms a short time later. He took a moment to stare at his wife with their two children before joining them himself.

"Where is a camera when I need one?" he asked, dropping to sit beside Stella as Lunae climbed onto his lap.

"Papa!" shouted his oldest, just before climbing up to clutch his shoulders.

He responded with a light kiss in the toddler's hair.

"Is there something wrong?" asked Stella, looking into his face carefully. She must have felt his inner turmoil from just a moment before.

"What do you mean?" he tried to hide anyway.

Stella merely responded by smiling at him knowingly. It left no room for coyness.

"An issue with Sapien, but I think it will be righted," he confessed.

"Of course it will," reassured Stella with as much confidence as he had. "This is Sapien."

Despite knowing that nothing would ever become of it, he could not help but say the next statement.

"Sometimes, you make me wonder if you like Sapien better than I," he said petulantly.

"For a knowledgeable King, you really are silly sometimes," Stella commented with a soft chuckle and then chuckled even longer when she saw the look on his face. She leaned in close then and kissed the tip of his nose. "Smart men really can be thick headed."

He knows he must have blinked at her in confusion.

"I would not have suffered through two childbirths for Sapien," she said firmly.

The sudden smirk that appeared on his face had her laughing this time, which caused Lunae and Lumina to laugh in reaction.

"Am I a smart man to you then?" he asked.

She chuckled again. "You are learning."


	3. Fragilitas

**Prompt:** #17 Weakness

**A/N: **This is based in the Adventum Aduro verse. Stella's POV

**Summary:** If you look deep enough, we all have cracks in our armor.

Fragilitas is Latin for "weakness or fragile".

_**Fragilitas**_

Frailty had always been something she had been ashamed of within herself. There was the frailty of simply being a woman. Even a woman with considerable means and power had a weakness. Maybe it was _because_ she had so much to lose, she was more at risk of weakness than someone else. Her biggest weakness by far had not been her fear of losing material possessions. Neither has it been her fear of losing her kingdom. Such things that she had thought would be most important to her. Yet, in the end, the thing that made her the most fragile was the thought of losing Noctis. Noctis, of everything else, was something that she found she just could not lose.

From the moment she had turned to him that fateful night, she had known, deep down that he would be her weakness. There was a dark aura around him that touched her. It was a darkness that called forth the deep nurturing side of her personality. That natural aspect of her femininity. The same aspect of herself that caused her to always help the less fortunate. Nobody deserved to be that dark. Nobody should have to suffer the loss that he had when he had been just a child. He obviously had not remembered her to be that little girl at the funeral of the late King and Queen of Nihilsomno, but she had never forgotten the look of total defeat that had been on his face as he stood alone in the rain that day. The loneliness that she had dreaded for the poor prince. That lone figure of black that seemed to be shunned by everyone else around him. She had seen the sea of unsympathetic faces and knew that he had felt the pain acutely and he had not deserved the solitude that he had been given. So she had done the only thing that had been possible at the time, she had given him the two white lilies that she had been given to lay upon the coffins of the dead monarchs before them.

Her young heart had been broken by the dark boy she had seen ignored. She had wanted so much to say something, anything, that may have brought him some measure of comfort. Yet, as soon as she had stepped just before him and seen the death in his eyes, she could do no more than place the flowers in his empty, trembling hands. All too quickly, she had been briskly swept away by her father before she could manage a word, but she had shed her tears for his sake when she had been pushed into the car a moment later. After that, she had made sure to covertly keep tabs on Prince Noctis as she grew up. Information was very hard to come by considering Nihilsomno's pension for keeping everything top secret, but she did manage to find out bits and pieces here and there. It was usually when the peace conferences were in session, that she would be able to hear actual news. She had attended one or two and had always left with the disappointment that he had not attended as well. When the invitation went out stating that the thirteenth peace conference would be held within Nihilsomno's wall, she had been ecstatic. Which had turned out to not be a good thing because as soon as her father had noticed her excitement, he had forbade her to go. Through a wonderful twist of fate, she had been able to afterall and then had been gifted with the sight of the man that the boy had become.

The man that she saw looked very different to the boy that she remembered. He took her breathe away. He was a force that she seemed irresistibly drawn to. He exuded a presence that she was unable to resist. With just his presence, he invaded her mind until there was nothing else but those eyes that had pierced her with their despair when she had been a little girl. The years had not diminished the power that those eyes could wield. He had immediately broken her heart, even as he had stolen it from her chest. All from simply gazing at the way he had watched her that first night that they had spoken.

Everything between then had been so completely irrational and out of character for her. The events that took place during that tumultuous time of their acquaintance confused her greatly. She had known that there had been a great many things that she had not been privy to, but the extent to which she was ignorant, still has her all the more angry. What Noctis must have thought of her. What Noctis must have wanted to do to her. What Noctis would do later. It was when she asked those questions in her mind that she realized, that there was no life for her if she did not have him in it. It was obvious if she should ask those questions. Knowing this and living this was entirely different when he disappeared for five years without a word. Especially after remembering the last exchange they had, had together before he left her behind.

The betrayal that had been so blatantly evident in Noctis' eyes when he had been hovering above her, would have broken her heart all over again if she had not been so angry at him in return. It always seemed so easy for her to forget her own feelings and let his rule her, but in that moment, she had planted her foot and met him head on. Thinking about it later, she should have been more patient, more understanding, more… something. He had accused her of stealing the Crystal and he had accused her of so much more with that look in his eyes. The very same eyes that were usually such a vibrant blue but within that moment, had been blood red instead. Yet, instead of giving in to her need to appease him, she had spat out her own accusations right back into his face. Her anger had been fueled from her inner resentment of his overwhelming influence on her psyche. An influence that overruled her common sense and her sensibilities. This man, this relative stranger, moved her to such a degree that no one had ever been able to before. She had resented the weakness that he brought out of her and she had been losing her mind over the loss of her own will.

There was no way to describe the depth of her despair when she had woken up in her rooms two days after her disastrous confrontation with Noctis on the airship from Glacies. The last thing she remembered was him slamming the door behind him and the wave of agony that swept over her at his departure. That feeling of guilt that she had wounded him had almost choked her in her moment of grief. Then to awaken in her rooms again, with nothing to show for her journey but a bump on her head and a small crystal in her hand. The bump that nobody had an explanation for, even after she attacked Cal with a verbal onslaught of questions. Cal mentioned that the crystal was to be with her at all times. It did not make much sense to her but as she had stared down at the little thing, it seemed to have spoken to her. Somehow she had known that Noctis had left this for her, though Cal had fervently denied it. He had not know what had happened to her either. All he had told her was that Noctis had left a message for her.

_This is not good bye._

They had been the very same words that she had spoken to him when she had initially left Nihilsomno. The statement was so loaded and so vague. She had not known what to make of them and somehow, instead of alleviating her fears, they only made her that much more anxious about what he intended to do. That first year of silence had been spent with her in an almost constant state of nervousness. The second year had felt an ease in her tension, but not by much. Then the years kept coming and by the end of five, she had found another distraction.

It makes her cringe to think of Divum as a distraction. He has been more than that but that does not take away the fact that he had been a distraction. Though, he had not always been such to her. Divum's appeal had been that he had not reminded her at all of Noctis. Blond, bulky, handsome in a way that was not Noctis. His gaze was not caught in that ever present intensity that always had her holding her breath. No, Divum's gaze had always been adoring and warm. Noctis' gaze was always all consuming and fiery. Fiery, like the color of his eyes when he sensed danger.

With the progression of the those years, something else had been happening to her. It had been the reason that Divum had become so important to her. At first, it had seemed to her, that the symptoms were simply those of a broken heart. She had a loss of appetite. Her strength seemed to slip away, depending on how she was exerting her energies. Sometimes she would simply be walking the halls and find herself on the floor with no strength in her legs nor any in her arms. Then it had become too strenuous, at times, to even breathe. It quickly became obvious that something was terribly wrong with her. Yet, no doctor could find a viable solution to why it was happening. All she knew was that whenever she clutched the Crystal tightly, she felt better. So, she had taken to wearing it around her neck.

After five years of neglect, she had steeled herself to be nothing but cordial when she saw him again. From what she had heard, he had been very productive in the dealings of his kingdom. He was a just ruler where his Concilium had not been. She had been proud of him. To see the boy grow to become the King that Nihilsomno needed was truly wondrous. Seeing him again, after so long however, had all her memories of them together flashing through her mind. There was something different about him this time. Something in his presence and his aura that was less dangerous and more, settled. There was a tension in his shoulders, but it would have bothered her if it had been missing. Then she had looked into his eyes. Those eyes that had so much influence on her. Their power was as potent as it had ever been.

The rush of breath to her lungs and the push of strength that shot through her as a result of her close proximity to Noctis had almost her staggering backwards. It was all she could do just to clutch her chest as she gasped. At first it had frightened her. Instinct had told her that it had come directly from Noctis, but she had refused to believe that. She could not. Not when he had abandoned her for five years. Not when there was still so much resentment under the joy of being near him again. Yet, the power left her feeling as if she had finally become whole once again. It was the first time in so long that she had felt complete. She had felt like herself and not the shell that she had slowly felt herself becoming. It had awed her, as it had that night in Nihilsomno when she had turned and smiled when she had realized he was there. She had been thankful for Divum pulling her back to herself. She would surely have moved closer to Noctis to see whether the feeling would intensify. She had not been ready for that. Not when she could not understand why Noctis had left her. If being with him felt so right, why had he stayed away from her so pointedly?

So when Divum had offered to take her home early, she had not refused. The idle, tension laced conversation she had been holding with Noctis would not have given her any answers anyway and she had needed to step away from him to sort her own racing emotions. She had noticed the stiffness in Noctis' shoulders when she had introduced him to Divum. It had shamed, even as it had pleased her, that he had been jealous of the presence of another man in her life. There was a certain sense of satisfaction in showing him that she was not going to just wait around for him to come for her. Not after the hateful words that had been exchanged the last time they had been together.

Later that same night, she had just been about to turn off her lamp when she had heard Noctis' voice in her head. She felt, more than heard, the longing that had been in his voice. There had been no exact words, but the onslaught of despair that had washed through her had caused an intense ache in her chest. Without knowing why, she was rushing out of her rooms and to the street below. To find, that her weakness for him was just as staggering as his weakness was for her. She had seen the hint of resentment and acceptance that had been in his face when she caught him standing there and she had known, without any doubt, of one fact. That somehow, their shared weakness would now change to become their shared strength.

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**End Note: **I know that the ending seems rushed, but I plan on keeping the Adventum verse on going within this series. I could not explain everything right away. :)


	4. Contorqueo

**Prompt: **#28 Twisted

**A/N: **This takes place in the Eclipse Series.

**Summary:** Boys never grow up.

Contorqueo is Latin for "to twist".

_**Contorqueo**_

Somehow this did not seem quite right. In fact, it seemed all together wrong. It seemed more depraved than something to be done purely for enjoyment's sake. Well, at least in his mind at least. Maybe enjoyment was not quite what you were doing it for either. He does not understand this at all. This entire situation was just, uncomfortable. Uncomfortable in a way that he was unaccustomed to. He was not one who usually got red in the face, but this seemed to be one of those rare occasions where he just might start blushing. Especially considering the looks on his companions' faces as they all studied the image before them. His dark blue eyes blink several times before his mind realizes that he has not responded and someone had actually posed a question that had not been rhetorical.

"Um, I really fail to see the relevance of this," he states, looking up at his brothers.

"Well, it could be said that we have a wicked sense of humor," comments Sapien dryly.

Vires snorts and Des scratches his head.

"This seems like complete bullocks to me," states Vires with a his arms crossed, but there is that hesitant fascination in his gaze. A fascination and a warped kind at that. The same that he too was feeling as they all kept their eyes glued to the image. It was like looking at something that made you cringe, even as you could not take your eyes away.

"People swear by this," states Sapien simply, though it is clearly evident that he did not understand why. He was the least appalled from the stoic look on his face, but then again, most things did not register in Sapien's face.

"Okay now that can't be natural," winced Des, as they continued staring at the images on Sapien's handheld as he flipped through them.

"I… would not appreciate being so…," this is where words failed him. He could not think which way to phrase it without sounding as inappropriate as he thought.

"Bare?" smirked Vires.

"Exposed?" asked Sapien.

"Open with your arse in the air?" finished Des, helpfully.

Vires snorted again and Sapien smirked. He is not sure what expression is on his face but he is sure it is a mixture of contemplative and amused.

"I think I would have to go with Des," he admits, which cause Vires to laugh out loud and Sapien snorted while Des grinned knowingly.

"I betcha Sunshine does this kind of funky stuff," says Des.

"Okay, that is not a mental image I want, _ever_," states Sapien as he blinks his eyes in rapid succession and a shudder jerks his shoulders. He might have even gagged.

He most definitely agreed with that.

"He might also wear those orange speedos just…"

"Shaddup!" snaps Vires as he glares at Des.

"I think I am thoroughly traumatized. That image is going to stick with me at night," states Sapien with a horrified expression on his face.

He has to actually squeeze his temples from keeping _that_ particular image away.

Another position flashes across the small screen.

"Now I can do that," says Des with a grin.

"Yeah right!" scoffs Vires.

"I so have to see this," says Sapien.

"Only if you try too," shoots back Des.

"I wasn't the one boasting that I could do it," retorts Sapien.

"Both of you do it," suggests Vires with a laugh.

"There is no way," replies Sapien.

"And you do have scrawny legs," points out Des.

"Excuse me," scoffs Sapien. "My legs are correctly proportioned to the rest of me."

"My point exactly," says Des smugly. "You're scrawny, period."

"So what does that make you?" asks Sapien pointedly.

"I'm a hottie," proclaims Des.

Vires snorts even louder this time and scoffs for added emphasis.

"Use that heat and do that," Sapien retorts as he points at the image on the screen.

"Des, I do not believe that is a good idea… Des?" he asks, watching as his friend tries to mimic the image.

What followed was a rather hilarious demonstration on the floor where Des unintentionally tipped over, nearly breaking his neck in the process. He does not remember laughing this much since they had all been young boys. There are almost tears in his eyes as he watches Des fail, yet again and may have pulled a muscle.

"You are doing it all wrong," states a voice from the doorway.

The four friends stiffen, well maybe not Des since he could not move, before they slowly turn towards the door like small boys caught doing something they should not be.

"Really, how old are you four?" asks Stella with a motherly tone, but her face looks amused. Her arms are crossed as she leans against the doorframe.

"You do this stuff, Stell?" asks Des, with one leg over his head and not quite able to get his other leg to follow. "Noct never mentioned…"

"As if I were in the habit of telling you details about Stella that are really none of your business," he says quickly. He really did not want to know where Des had been planning to go with that statement. Through their connection, he tries to make sure that Stella is not secretly annoyed at having caught them doing… what they were doing. Though, his wife was not one to chastise him when she caught him doing things that did not qualify as Kingly duties anyway, who knew what she might think of catching them doing something like this.

"I used to," she states, leaving the doorway and walking further into the room.

He watches as she smirks up at him and winks before she takes position next to Des.

"You are trying to do the Scorpion pose," she explains, moving to lie on the floor.

To their utter amazement, Stella quite easily, mimicked the position they had been marveling at from Sapien's handheld. All four of them watch in awe as she held the position for a long moment before fluidly coming down and moving to stand back up. She places her hands on her hips and he could see the barely concealed laughter in her eyes.

"Were you trying for Scorpion or Pretzel?" she giggles as she looks down at Des.

"Didn't realize you were so flexible, Stell," he comments with a wink and he could almost kick Des. "Could you help me? Cause these hooligans haven't been very helpful."

Vires scoffs. "Got your own arse in that mess, you can get yourself out."

"Yes, you have gotten yourself into a bit of a twist, haven't you?" she teases, but she helps him all the same. After Des has stopped yelping in agony, she turns to tilt her head at the three that are standing over them in question. "Do I want to know why the four of you are staring at yoga positions?"

Four faces turn sheepish as they grin awkwardly back at her.


	5. Indifferens

**Prompt: **#24 Indifference

**Summary:** It would be better to have one or the other, not this.

**A/N: **This is from the Adventum Aduro verse.

Indifferens is Latin for "neither good nor bad".

_**Indifferens**_

To say that their conversations were cryptic, was definitely an understatement. She does not think there have been any exchanges between them that had been completely straightforward. Well, maybe once or twice, but they never seemed to be able to say exactly what they meant to say to each other. She was guilty of it as he was guilty of it. They were both entirely guilty for it. Of the many loaded statements that she had heard uttered from his lips, this had to be the winner. They had been talking. Well, maybe talking was not the right word as they had not actually been speaking. They had been looking at each other rather awkwardly before she decided she needed to speak in order to fill the silence.

"You say you left because you had wanted to protect me," she stated.

"Yes," had been the simple reply.

"You wanted to protect me," she continued.

"Yes."

"Was there another reason?" she asked. "You had to have known that I would have been...I would have been upset for your long silence."

He nodded very slowly in return.

"What if I had been angry?"

"I would have tried to win you," he said factually.

She knows she had been frowning at him in response. It was rather arrogant, to say the least, but also a very blatant confession. She could respect blatant.

"My feelings did not matter to you?" she had asked with a little bit of resentment in her voice. The majority of it had been hurt.

He stilled at her accusation. They both knew that he had not really thought of her emotions when he had left. Though his intentions had been good, more than good, he had made a mistake by leaving her with nothing more than a "this is not good bye" relayed by Cal. Then he had looked remorseful when he had replied and she had warmed just a little towards him.

"That was a mistake," he said and it had looked as if he had wanted to reach for her but caught himself at the last second. "I would not have done it if I had known how much it would wound you."

Another loaded statement, but this time she knew what it meant.

"How could you not have?" It had been an honest question. Noctis was not insensitive, but he had said that night, that he was just a man and that he made mistakes. She was just a woman. She made a lot of mistakes too.

Another long moment of silence followed between them where she could feel the tension building. This tension that was always building between them. Sometimes it was so thick that she thought one day, she might just choke from it. She could see thoughts as they flashed through his mind and the stiffness in his shoulders that told her that he had been restraining himself from stepping closer to her. It had greatly surprised her when he suddenly he went very still and then swiftly turned his back to her. She did not think it rude, for it looked as if he had wanted to avoid her eyes for the next words that were going to come out of his mouth.

"Anger, resentment, hatred. Anything would have been better," he said at last and it had been the most frustrating thing he could have said. To make matters even worse, he had walked away with a polite nod of his head, leaving her there to want to cry out in frustration.

_Better? Better than what?_

No matter how many times she ran that through her head, she did not understand what he could have meant. If it had come from a joker like Cal, she would not have given it much more than a chuckle and a shake for her head. For there were many things that her cousin would say that she did not understand. However, this was Noctis. He had certainly not been joking and he certainly would not have said it just to be contrary. At least, not at that moment. He had sounded so sincere and sure of his answer and he had known she would not understand. Which made it all the more tempting to ruffle his impossible hair just to be a nuisance herself.

There was nothing for it. The next time he haunted her shadow, she was going to ask him. The thought did occur to her that maybe he was taunting her like this to keep her on her toes. Perhaps to make her as fascinated with him as he always confessed he was by her. Which was completely unnecessary given the fact that there was nothing about Noctis that she did not find fascinating. She does not think anything about him could be considered boring. He merely had to walk into the room and he had her undivided attention. Just the image of him sitting down, had her captivated in a very annoying sort of way. It was thoroughly distracting. _He_ was thoroughly distracting.

Her frustrated thoughts still lingered through her mind later the same day as she was walking back to her rooms. Since she had agreed to stay with Noctis, he had moved to her own rooms within the castle as a very special guest. "VIP" according to Cal, who had been given the set of rooms directly across from hers. That thought, at least, caused a faint smile to cross her lips as she finally caught sight of her door. The presence in the shadows had been noticed for awhile now and she finds herself sighing aloud as it continues to follow behind her.

"Is this how things will be?" she asks a bit sadly as she stops to stand in the middle of the hallway. This had become a habit of his of late. It was almost as if he needed the constant assurance that she was there.

To his credit, he does not even try to cover his efforts now that she has caught him outright.

"I just need to make sure," he answers.

"Of what?" she asks, turning around to see him fully. How he can take her breathe away was beyond her, but seeing him like this, only made her heart race. There was no fear, though fear is what others must feel when they see him like he is now. All black and dark, with just a hint of light that shined across his face but left the rest of his body in the darkness of night. He was temptation itself. He exuded temptation and danger.

"Of this reality," he says.

"Why?"

"I was too long without you," he admits, stepping closer to her with that intensely hot and needy expression in his eyes. The expression he often gave her. It was the look that always hit her like a blow to the chest and a gush of feeling would go shooting directly through her veins.

Even his words, so carefully put together, had her feeling weak and strong all at the same time. Despite herself, she cannot deny the flush of desire that burns within her upon hearing them. Intense. He had told her that in order to activate the lifeless crystals, they needed to be intense. Well, they had an overabundance of that. So she is quite confident that they had enough to give countless crystals the life they needed. He had mentioned a cave full of them. Well, they would certainly have enough for the whole cave and then some. If he touched her now, she is sure they could light up the entire city. It is when he takes another step closer that she manages to find her voice again.

"What did you mean earlier?" she needs to ask this because the look on his face is turning predatory and she instinctively knows that his eyes will soon turn red.

It has the desired effect. He blinks his eyes and now they are that deep, crystal blue that they should be right now. Then his eyebrows furl as if he does not understand what she means.

"That anger and hate were better," she elaborates for him. "Better than what?"

He nods his head with a small sigh.

"Indifference," he answers.

"Indifference?" now it is her turn to frown.

He hums an affirmative and nods his head.

"Love and hate call forth equal amounts passion in a person," he explains. "I could not hope for you to love me then, but I could hope that you could hate me. You could resent me and you could curse me. It would have been what I deserved."

She tilts her head as she processes this and bites her lower lip.

"But I could not have born your indifference. That lack of feeling would have killed me," he adds, taking that final step to stand right in front of her.

"So, you would rather I felt _something_ for you, regardless of what it was because you could not bear for me to feel nothing at all?" she asks, moving her eyes to meet his.

He nods and he has that look in his eyes again. His eyes meet hers a moment to see if she understands before lowering them to stare at her lips. Specifically, where her teeth are biting into her lower lip. Her lips begin to burn as if he were actually touching them with his eyes and she feels her breath quicken in response.

"I do not believe," she starts, to distract him from his thoughts because she has to control the situation before he acted on what he desired. Not yet. He could not act on them yet, no matter how much she wanted him to. "That there will ever be a time I could be indifferent to you."

"You believe this?" he asks and if she did not know better, his tone had almost sounded shy along with hopeful.

"That depends," she responds with a playful tilt of her head. He makes a move to grab her and she skips out of his reach to a safer distance from him. "Are you going to keep me interested?"

The scalding look he gives her in response makes her think that perhaps challenging him is not a good idea.


	6. Fatum

**Prompt:** #12 Soul

**Summary:** Transcending time and space, the divided will become one, once again.

**A/N:** This is a stand alone. It is a semi X-over with Basilisk. Even though the characters are not specifically named (as it would undoubtedly and understandably confuse everyone) if you've watched that anime, you would recognize the lines. The ending scene of Basilisk was the inspiration behind this fic, because when you watch the cutscene between N/S, I sort of get the feeling that they're both feeling... familiar. A link to that particular scene will be posted in my Profile.

**Additional Notes:** Fatum is Latin for "Destiny". In dedication to the episode it was based off of.

_**Fatum**_

_In a time, within a place long past. Two lovers are separated by hatred, family and now...death._

They stand off, these would be enemies. Once so full of dreams and hope for the future. Only to clash with the divide of blood and death. Of the fight, there are only two left standing. Him and her. His last battle has mortally injured him. Even if he had not been, he would not have been able to kill her. He does not have much time and she had her entire life still ahead of her. She would win. Her family, her clan would win the war. All she had to do was thrust that sword into his unresisting form and it would be over. It was so easy.

He knows her nature. He knows she is not cruel. She could never be cruel. Even after all that had happened, of all the hate that spilled the blood on either side of their clans, he knows she would never change. She would always be kind. She would always be _her_. So, he makes it even easier for her. As they stand off, he closes his eyes, knowing that she would be unable to deliver the killing blow if he had been watching her. He does not hesitate and he does not flinch. There is a sense of peace in knowing that it would be her to do this for him. His merciful angel. What he does not expect, is what happens next.

"I love you," he hears her beloved voice whisper, closely followed by the sound of a sword piercing flesh and the sounds of a body falling onto the ground.

Slowly, he opens his eyes.

He watches almost spellbound as her lifeless body falls onto the dirt just where he stands. There is a shrill cry that fills the air and he is not quite sure if it is his. It sounds as terrible as the cry of his heart as he does nothing more than stare at her in disbelief. She had done what was unexpected. She had done the most selfless thing that she could think of. She had been _her_. He finds it beyond ironic that the thing he loves the most about her was ultimately the thing responsible for her demise. He cannot focus on that right now though. He must claim the victory of their war. So he sends the message of her defeat and his victory. His victory that was also his greatest loss. He pulls out the wretched sword that is buried in her chest as he pulls her prone body close to his own and cries. He sobs with the call of her name.

There is only one thing that is left to do. He has finished his quest. He has won, but has he really won? The battle just before had been gained at a great price and he had not thought to live through this one as well. Yet, he was the last one standing and the one person that he loved and cherished the most, was lifeless and gone. Gone because she would not, she could not kill him herself. So she had left him behind. For a moment, he can almost be angry at her for being selfish. That is, for only a moment, because it was not in her nature to be selfish. She had known that he must be the victor to their sadistic competition of death. She had known much more than he had. Yet, she always thought that it was she that was his weakness? He had ultimately been hers.

Her voice echoes amid the winds that are blowing his black hair with the words she had used in a time that seemed too long ago. They flow through his mind as he steps into the river.

_All the times the wind touched us. All the times we forged our dreams. The same thought always came to my mind. Maybe you and I, a long time ago, were a single soul... and that both our souls, born divided, are anxious to go back to its original form. But I am a burden to you._

Within his mind, he gives his reply.

_If we were a single soul, I am sure we will meet again. No matter how many generations it shall take. No matter in which era we will do it. I am sure._

"I am sure," he vows in a soft whisper to her lifeless form.

With her in his arms, he thrusts the sword into his own chest, to follow behind her. He feels his life ebb away as he fully sinks into the water. Even in death, they seem to cling to each other as if their shared soul were still trying to reunite itself. Their bodies float with the gentle flow of the river until they are no longer in sight.

_In a time, not quite a millennia later nor even of the same universe. A way will be found._

Through the expanse of time, through the impossibility of chance, we find ourselves in a different universe. In an entirely different era. The night is well along but the day is not quite near. A lone soul sits in a darkened room. It sits upon a throne in silent contemplation, that only the marble walls around him can provide. Wordless musings belie the intensity behind closed lids as an obscured face rests upon a black gloved hand.

Then, blue eyes startle open and a formerly prone figure is suddenly alert.

"That, is why," he says with dawning recognition. It is a voice so low that it does not echo in the hollowness of the room. As he moves to make his way languorously out the doors, he thinks back to the reason why. He goes back to that inexplicable pull that he had been feeling for someone he should hate. Someone that he was about to face off with and destroy.

He thinks back to that walk up those spiraling stairs. The sounds of his steps as his hard soles clanked against the metal, to slowly climb up to see her turned form. It had been attraction, yes. It had been curiosity, definitely. It had been something else too. It had been something deeper. Something that was already deeply engrained into his mind. More than his mind perhaps, it was deeply engrained into his very being. That he knew this creature. He knew this being and not in the introductory, obligatory sense. He already knew _her_. He had already known her in a way that was just not possible. He had never seen her before. They had not met until that very night. Or so he had believed. Now he knows that to be different. They _did_ know each other and they knew each other better than anyone else could ever know them. It made sense as much as it seemed unfathomable that it should be.

He needs to see her. It is time. He needs to see her right now. So he is quite surprised to step foot outside and see that there is company awaiting him. His eyes are already red as he surveys the challenge before him. When he moves next, there is no hope of survival for them. He does not hesitate and he does not hold back. They mean to stop him. He will not be stopped. It is when he is sure that they no longer pose a danger to him, that he makes a run for it. He runs to _her_. He can feel her as he gets closer. Something inside him seems to sing in elation as he reaches her in a skidding halt. She is waiting for him.

There is an expression of conflict on her face that he knows must be reflected in his own as he steps closer. She makes to run to him but they both stop when they realize that their battle has begun. Their runes have been activated and they must fight. Fight as they had fought on a different ground, in a different place, of a different time. Yet, this time, he knows what she will do. So he moves to strike her before she can try anything else and she is forced to dodge his attack and counter with one of her own. Their swords strike each other and he maneuvers her, but she is as clever as he is. Only, he had the advantage. He knows what she plans to do this time and there is nothing that will stand in his way of having her as he could not have had her then. Because he is looking for it, he sees when she is just about to make her move and he swirls his sword around hers to dislodge it from her firm grasp and flings her weapon away from her.

She looks almost triumphant in her loss. He does not understand how she can always be so selfless, in this life and the last. Perhaps that was why they balanced, because he would be the selfish one now. As he points the tip of his sword at her for emphasis, he watches her eyes before flinging it away from himself as well.

"What are you…?"

"You would leave me again?" he accuses with a slight hiss, taking a small step towards her. "I will not let you this time."

Her eyes widen before narrowing and it is then that he realizes that she has known from the beginning. She has known throughout their journey and she had never mentioned it to him. Of course she had. That would have been completely her too. He does not know whether he is angry at her or not. He is not sure if he would have believed her regardless of how greatly he felt the truth of it. Now he feels that it must be true simply because she has known about this for all this time.

"I never left you," she whispered. She looks out of breathe and all he can do is look at her as he finally sees her through eyes that finally see what has been there all along.

"Only because I followed right along behind you," he says a little resentfully.

She nods sadly as she processes this. She had not saved him then. She had given him, his rightful victory.

"Thank you," he says, not able to meet her eyes now. If she had not done what she had before, his clan would not have won and it would have caused a severe unrest amongst the clans. "But this time, I will not let you leave me behind. This time we will be joined as we should have been joined then."

She looks up hesitantly at him. "Is this not easier?"

"Easier?" he asks as his eyes fly to hers again.

"You could rule without hindrance."

"Do you think I care about that when all I have ever wanted was to be with you?" he shoots back almost angry now, but he cannot be entirely so. He has learned from the last time. "What is anything if we cannot be together?"

Her eyes are moist as she nods her agreement.

"I understand why now," he says in a voice that is a little more soothing than a moment before. "Why the Light holds no sense of hatred from you."

She smiles, a relieved one, as she looks up at him. He takes another step closer.

"It makes so much sense now," he says in awe. "This is why we have been chosen for the gifts that we have. The reason we did not die as children."

She nods and her smile is widening.

"Our shared soul still longs to be reunited," he tells her, even though she already knows this. He reaches up and grabs her face. "And you would repeat history and leave me again?"

"I thought it best," she says weakly.

"For who?" he asks, bringing her face closer to his own so he can stare into her eyes. "Not for you and not for me."

She nods her agreement. "Not this time," she says.

"Not this time," he agrees and then he is kissing her.

Lips seal and a soul, once divided, can now sigh in relief. For now, after transcending time and space, it can finally be whole once again.


	7. Perperam

**Prompt: **#41 Misunderstood

**Summary: **How drastically things can change.

**A/N: **This is from Adventum Aduro.

**Additional Notes: **Perperam is Latin for "wrongly, falsely".

_**Perperam**_

Things had changed. That was putting it rather mildly. Things had irrevocably been altered. Now, to be fair, that was to be expected with the many changes that had come over her life within the last few years. Nothing so drastic as the last couple of months though. Living in Nihilsomno and being so close to Noctis on such a regular basis was taking some getting used to. It was definitely not in the bad sense of the word. Far from it in fact. She has learned a great deal about herself through being with him. They were more alike than she could have ever imagined. The initial feeling of wholeness whenever she was around him had solidified to something completely raw and real. It was exciting. He had been the one afraid and so would she if she had not felt the rightness of it all to begin with. It was an adventure that she would have never dreamed possible for herself. To be involved with something so grand as to affect the entire planet with her gift and his gift, combined, was astounding. What a privilege!

Noctis had definitely simplified the terms that night when he had touched her. That touch. The sensations of that touch, of his skin in contact with hers. She does not think she will ever forget the feel of that touch of his hand lingering over her arm. To say that it had tingled would not have been accurate enough a description. It had been more like, every atom in her body had become fully charged and alive. To see evidence of this fact in the Crystal that she had been wearing around her neck, had rendered her speechless. She still wore that Crystal around her neck as a reminder to herself that this was real. That this was not a dream. This was a reality. This was _her_ reality, with Noctis. They could only do this together and not even they could stand in the way of what they were meant to do, of what they were meant to be to each other. She was humbled and she was thankful. Humbled in the face of such power. Thankful for the new hope for survival.

The months following their reunion had been, rather bumpy. With the knowledge of these possibilities, the peace conference had initially been in a riotous uproar. At first, they had accused Noctis of lying. He was making up a falsehood so that Nihilsomno would have yet more power and more reason to keep the outside world from entering within their borders. When it had gotten to the point where objects would be thrown, she had stepped up and stood next to Noctis in a show of her full support. She had known that Noctis would have foreseen this reaction and would have planned something in advance. She had not been disappointed. As soon as she had stood beisde him, Phil had brought out a dead Crystal. Well, not exactly dead. It had merely been waiting for an energy source to give it life. A life that only she and Noctis could provide it. A demonstration would be the only way to convince them of the truth.

The general feelings about the room had been filled with obvious doubt and distrust. Some dignitaries had sneered. Some had looked critical. Many had been skeptical. Others had not really known what to think. They were all stumbling back when Noctis reached for her hand so that she could face him. Those powerful eyes had looked down into hers and she had lost any apprehension that she may have had a moment before. Everything had fallen away but him. The touch of his hand holding hers was the only thing that kept her grounded as she looked back at him. He did not say anything. His face was focused, alert and appealing. He had been appealing to her to help him, to trust him. Of course she would help him in response to his silent plea. She knew she always would, no matter the circumstance. It had just taken her longer to trust him enough to do what they needed to prove. As she continued to stare into his eyes, she realized that the color within them had begun to change. Dark blue swirled and blurred until there was a muted red. Then the muted became vibrant and she could feel her own eyes change as an incredible heat rushed through her entire body.

There was no way to describe the feeling. Just that it was hot. Her body had felt as if it had been engulfed in a flame of scorching fire. Yet the sensation had not left her burnt. Instead, she had felt elated and free. The feeling had been sheer ecstasy as opposed to agony. Her entire body had been shooting off beams of light. However, more euphoric to her was not the feelings coursing through her heated body, but the vision Noctis had made. While she felt this rushing boil, he was white light. He was an almost chilling pale glow with midnight hair. He was a cold brightness to her heated hues. She had never seen a more beautiful thing as he looked at that moment. He was the moon as she was the sun. They both resembled what they were and the flow of energy that began to swirl around them had caused her hair to flow in thick tendrils around her body. She could the power build and build until it was released and shooting forth into the awaiting Crystal. The formerly vacant rock that had gleamed and shone as brightly as a twinkling star in the night sky.

As soon as the energy had left their joined hands, she felt her becoming herself again and no longer the harsh sun. Noctis too had begun to transform back into himself and she momentarily mourned the loss of the vision he had made before her. Those eyes. Those precious and all seeing eyes had looked at her as if she had taken his breathe away with her exquisite beauty. When it was _he_ that was exquisite. She had felt him squeeze her hand in reassurance before letting it go and turning to address the gawking mouths of the diplomats watching. There had been little doubts after that. What had followed was a riot of a different source. It had been a celebration of hope to their world. A whole beginning to light from the descending towards darkness.

That had been months ago. One would have thought the world would have become new by now. It had been well on its way to becoming something better than it had been before. Only, now, something had changed. Not just changed. It had morphed into something that was becoming darker instead of lighter. A shift in the opposite direction and it was so drastic that she almost felt dizzy with its rapidity. 'Sudden' did not seem quite accurate enough. 'Quickly' was not it either. 'Instantaneous'? That was closer. Because the change had felt instant. In a flash of time and in the blink of an eye, things were altered again. This time, it had been her own whimsical foolishness that had caused it. What had been a comment made in a moment of melancholy had wounded Noctis more than any blade could.

She could make as many excuses as she liked. It did not take away the fact that she had hurt him. She had hurt him in the worst possible way. Would she always hurt him? Was she to always be the source of his pain? She had cut him when he had found out that she had, indeed, stolen his Crystal. Even though it had not been of her own actions that she had done it, she had done it just the same. He had forgiven her that. How he could have was still a mystery to her. How he would be able to forgive her for _this_, which from the look that had been on his face, seemed to have struck him harder than her first betrayal. Her betrayal that was not actual betrayal. That he had perceived it to be, made it so. In a sense, she _had_ betrayed him. She knew that. It is the reason that she does not run to him now. Because deep down, she had meant it, despite the misunderstanding and _that_ had been the betrayal. He knows this too and to lie now would only further the distance that had developed between them.

A misunderstanding became the twist of a knife, in a heart that had just healed. To reopen wounds still raw from the first inflictions. How many scars could one heart endure? How many scars would her _own _heart be able to heal? It is the question that makes her realize that she loved Noctis. She had loved. She did love. She loved him not in the sense of fancy or superficial inclinations. She had loved the boy he had been. To have been so young and having such a burden to carry on his own. How could her little heart not have loved him then? She had loved the young man that had met her at the top of those stairs. The dark, overpowering figure that looked upon her as if she were the most fascinating creature he had ever beheld. She loves the man he has grown to become. The ever present power. The all encompassing passion. The focused intent. This was a man. This was a King. This was her moon. She needed him to understand this. He could misunderstand, misconstrue everything else, but not this. This he had to know and this he had to understand.

**

* * *

**

End Note:

I know everyone must be asking, "What did she say to Noctis?". Well, we shall just have to wait and see. The next in line is Prompt #25 Roam. It is a continuation of #5 Spirit (Chapter One: Spiritus). 


	8. Commoror

**Prompt:** #25 Roam

**Summary:** Will they do more than pray?

**A/N:** This is a of continuation to the Spirit Prompt (Chapter One: Spiritus). It seems that most did not catch my Romeo and Juliet reference. Well, this one is more obvious. Noctis and Stella alter the lines to match themselves.

Commoror is Latin for "remain, stay, linger."

_**Commoror**_

_Can lips do what hands do?_

He was teasing her. Teasing by tempting her in the most delightful way. As if he needed to do much more than merely exist for him to be the very epitome of temptation to her. It really was not fair. Yet, since he seemed as equally tempted by her as she was by him made it somewhat fair. She had teased him first and now, he was tempting her with the subject of her tease. Quite often now, she would find that his hand would find a reason, any reason, to clasp her own. Not quickly either, but lingering and meaningful. A careful roam of hands that clasped hers within his. The first time he had done it, had been to help her up an extremely steep slope. On the surface it had appeared innocent enough. Though, there had been something in the gesture that was more than an intention of being helpful to her. He knew that she had not really needed the help, having climbed much worse in their travels. Also, there had been the fact that he had not offered her his hand. He had merely reached over and grabbed hold of hers and helped her without a word.

To their other companions, this would have just been nothing too untoward. A mere politeness. She knew better. She knew better since she had, had an excellent view of the smirk on his lips when she had looked up into his face in surprise at the gesture. There was nothing for it. He had done it on purpose. He was going it all on purpose. Of course his timing was also precise. The very next morning she had caught him gazing at her fondly when she woke. He had been asking permission to kiss her lips in their own silent language. How he could have such wit so early in the morning was impressive to someone like her. He seemed more of a night owl and yet, it was he who was the first to rise every morning. Did the man ever sleep? Somehow, she does not think he does.

The dark secrets that hid behind his ocean blue eyes could clearly be seen in his bottomless irises. He never spoken of them. None of their companions spoke of them, but they knew them. She was the only one not privy to them. Whatever it had been, had been very monumental. She can respect that. Her own experiences had left a very permanent mark on her too. It was just a bit different to be around someone who kept them so guarded. She was not so prone to hiding her own. She could be honest when she needed to be and she could also hold her tongue, but she was not prone to secrecy. She never felt the need to keep all of her life so private. Those musings however, would have to wait. She knows that all will be revealed in its own proper time and something warned her to enjoy the lightness of their situation while it lasted. Something told her that it would not be so lighthearted for much longer.

_Do you mean, pray?_

Flirting had never really been her strong suit, but she found that light teasing, amusing banter and easy flirting were common in her interactions with Noctis, especially when they were alone. When their three other companions were in close proximity or within ear shoot, they were merely pleasant and accommodating. It was almost like a secret game between them within the lighter moments of their journey. Of course, there were rough patches too, but right now, she wants to think about this on going tension that was building between her and Noctis. Oh how delicious a tension it was. The impending snap of it would yield to an even sweeter development. She fancies it to be so. What could be sweeter than having Noctis kiss her as he obviously wanted? Especially when she wanted him to just as much?

Fingers slide titillatingly close to her skin as they brush down her arm and a roaming hand squeezes hers. It is enough pressure to gain her attention but not to hurt her. It is neither demanding nor painful. It is merely pointed, pressing just enough pressure to have her attention solely fixed on the joining of their hands. He is not wearing his ever present gloves and the touch of his skin is electric. Then, a warm breathe blows against her ear as hushed words are whispered into the lobe. His leather clad body stands just behind her.

"My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand," she hears his fervent whisper as she feels her hand raised to those very lips. "To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss." Those soft, cool lips press against her hand and she closes her eyes at the sensations.

She whirls around to face him and smiles secretly as she stares at those very lips that wish what their hands have only done before. "Good pilgrim," she says with shining amusement in her eyes. "We have been palm to palm in holy palmers' kiss."

"Have not saints lips and holy palmers too?" he asks as he leans in closer to her face.

"Yes," she says in an innocent tone. "Lips that they must use in prayer."

"Then, Dear Saint, let lips do what hands do. They pray," he urges as he tries to brush his lips against hers.

But she anticipates this and leans away. "Your two pilgrims cannot pray when pressed so tightly against mine," she chides, taking a teasing step backwards, but he pursues her quickly.

"Oh but Dear Saint, they have already silent prayers made," he says coming at her and forcing her further back.

His eyes go from teasing to intent as he traps her against a nearby tree and places his hands on either side of her head.

"Now, move not, while my prayer's effect I take," he says as he quickly leans down and kisses her swiftly. His lips mingle with hers in a poignant moment. It is as sweet as she has dreamt it would be and she already wants another before this one ends. Then his lips release hers to look down at her face.

"Thus from my lips, by thine, my sin is purged," he says quietly. His eyes shone with amusement and a small trace of seriousness.

"Then have my lips the sin that they have took?" she asks raising her eyebrow curiously at him.

"Sin from your lips? Oh trespass sweetly urged!" he says dramatically and she almost gives the game away with a laugh. "Give me my sin again." He dives down for another kiss, but his lips meet air as she ducks under one of his arms and dances away from his reach.

"You cheat me," he accuses with something akin to a pout.

She has to giggle now. It cannot be helped at the look on his face.

"Oh good pilgrim," she says in an almost forlorn, but wistful voice. "If I am thy Saint, I must keep your sin."

He tilts his head at her and the smirk that forms on his lips tell her that he is on to her game.

"If I should sin again, Dear Saint?" he asks coyly.

"I shall have thy sin as thou hast just given me," she says and quickly turns away to escape before he can grab her. She lets out a laugh and is already anticipating when their lips would once again do what their hands have already done.


	9. Turbatus

**Prompt:** #26 Psychosis

**Summary:** It had not hurt any less, knowing it already to be so. No, it hurt far worse.

**A/N:** My favorite POV to write, Noctis. Not only Noctis, but Adventum Aduro's Noctis.

**Additional Notes:** Turbatus is Latin for "disturbed, restless, troubled".

_**Turbatus**_

It should not have surprised him that Fate would throw another hurtle in his way. It should not have surprised him that Irony would try to be funny again. It should not have surprised him that Fortune wanted him to be the fool. It should not have. Nothing should have surprised him when he had already known it all along in his heart. He had known that this was so. Then why? Why, did it hurt so much now? That to know it, that to believe it, should have prepared him. It had not. Those sounds that had been spoken with her soft melodic voice had formed the words that shattered his entire being. He should not have shattered, but he had. Because the knowing, is not enough. Not when the reality is said from precious lips that had the power over your whole world.

Such was her power. This power that she wielded over him. The power that she had always had over him. How one person had the ability to rip you into shreds with just one absently uttered sentence, was power indeed. He has heard many discouraging, disparaging, disdaining things in his life. He had learned to deal with the noises they made in his head. Those voices were always harsh and mean and cruel. The deliverance of them had been to wound. So how was it that words not meant to wound, could hurt him so much? From a voice cherished and needed and not meant to be hurtful. It must have been that. That the lines were delivered in such a lyrical manner, that it had struck him deeply. How many scars could his heart recover from?

He does not blame her. How could he? She had not, has not done anything wrong. Though it seems to baffle her that he easily forgave her the theft of his Crystal, it is not so much a mystery to him. She was not herself. She had not been in control of herself. So why would he blame her for that? Not guilty and completely blameless for it. After pronouncing her sentence of death, he had left her behind like some tossed out bit of waste from his car. Then, he had neglected her for five years while she had suffered alone. She had been alone and confused and weakening. All because he had not been fast enough. He had wished to lessen her agony by staying away and had only increased it instead. When he heard just how much she had endured during that time, he could almost be sick with himself. He could be angry and disappointed towards himself for taking so long. He had not even told her why he was going to stay away. For all she had known, he was never intending to see her again. So of course, something like that would escape her precious lips. He had felt it had been so, but the knowing and the confirming were devastating. It was enough to render him quite mad.

Standing upon his balcony and staring down at the scene below he is heedless to the strong winds that drown everything but the sound of her voice. His hands grasp onto the railing for purchase and his eyes shut tightly against the repeating words.

"_I wish I could have married Divum when I had the chance... because I do not think I would feel such weakness."_

That she had wished it. That she had wanted it. That she had mourned it. _That_ had been the blow. He had already known that Divum had not been a passing fancy, present just to vex him. There had been meaning and warmth in each of their gazes when they had regarded one another. Their tones of voice suggested a true intimacy of friendship and respect. Something he had not had the privilege of having with Stella himself. He still does not think he has that kind of intimacy with Stella now. Since then, he has seen the other man a handful of times. His rival had been a little broken and disappointed at first. Though still polite, he could see the resentment in the other man's eyes whenever he glanced his way. The question within the depths of those emerald eyes was so blatant, Divum might as well have said the words aloud.

"_Why would she still want you when you left her behind?"_

Why indeed. He wondered that same thing himself. Despite his selfishness and need, he would have let her go if she had wished to remain with the other man. The man that was the constant that she should have wanted. The one that she should have chosen. He was not that man. What had he offered her before? Only doubt, distrust and disbelief. He is just glad he had not tried to deny this yearning for her even in the beginning. That, he could never have hidden. She knew that as well as he did. In that, he had always been constant. In that, he had always been true. It was the same for her. Despite the wide chasm between them, she had always been truthful about her feelings towards him.

It did more than sting that she thought him a weakness when he only thought of her as his strength. There had been a time where he had resented the way she had made him feel. A time long past, because he knows he would not have been anything resembling good if it were not for her. To him, she was his goal. She was the light at the end of his dark, endless tunnel. She was the drive within him to press onward. Yet, he was her weakness. He was her downfall. He was holding her back. They both knew it. He knows Divum knows this too. As much as the jealousy swells within him at the thought of another having Stella, he cannot be so foolish as to think himself more worthy than his rival. Stella matched Divum. They seemed more suited. Together, they would have been the ideal choices to bring new order to their crumbling world. Yet, _he_ had been the one gifted. He had been the one to share this remarkable power with Stella. It was he who was connected to her, no matter what any of them thought. He can almost resent her for making him feel so wretched, but he knows that he deserves it. By all rights, he was a wretch by nature. He felt he was, indeed, the leech.

His dark blue eyes reopen as he looks down at what lies before him. That soft silhouette in the moonlight. That lithe form that he would be able to distinguish, even within the pitch black. She moves quietly, gracefully through the gentle grass and weeping trees. He wonders if she knows that he can see her. He wonders if she thinks of him as longingly as he does her. He wonders if she might just walk in this part of the castle because she hopes that he will watch her. She seems such a fragile and unbreakable creature in this moment. So soft and unyielding all at once. Such a wonderful, fascinating mix of contradictions. His eyes remain fixed upon her form as she slowly weaves her way around the trees as if lost in her own quiet thoughts.

As the months go by and as the time lingers onward, the rise of tension within him has not lessened. At one time he had vainly hoped that getting to know her better would result in his eventual lack of interest. He can safely say that he has never found her boring. Everything about her intrigued him, called to him. He needed her as desperately as the moon needed the sun as a source of light. He wonders if Divum felt this way towards her. Did Divum crave her as much as he did? Yes, he had seen longing within the eyes of the other man. Yes, he had seen the desire. Yet, was it the same sort of longing and desire that he felt for Stella? Did Divum yearn for her to the degree that he did? Was the acuteness of agony as strong inside Divum when he thought of Stella not being a part of his life? He cannot say for sure, because he cannot understand how anyone could not feel this way towards her.

He was absolutely lost for her. This he knew. The only comfort that he afforded himself was the knowledge that she needed him too. Yes, she did need him. It was not his ego talking. It was just fact. The waning Crystal that they had awoken together that night would not have sustained her forever. Even with its renewed energy, she could not live without him for long. Unlike his need though, her need was of a different sort. Her need was physical. Whereas his need was a whole souled necessity. Not just the physical but the emotional and the mental and the spiritual. It was his everything. So yes, her softly uttered statement of wishing to be with someone else because she considered him a weakness had cut him to the quick. There was not a weapon in the world that would have wounded him as much as her words had. This pain was so much worse than the time he felt that his very blood was acid in his veins.

This was a crossroads. Yes, she had chosen him. Yes, she was here now and did not ever show any hint of resentment for her choice. The only proof had been her soft confession. It should be enough. Why was it not enough? Where was the satisfaction of being the one she had chosen? What more did he need? How was he to live knowing that though she had chosen him, she would have chosen someone else?


	10. Veritas

**Prompt:** # 38 Honesty

**Summary:** With this new beginning, with this new chance, they could not hide.

**A/N:** Let's go back to Noctum Will Rise. My first multi chapter for the Versus world. It is before Eclipse and set just after the scene cuts in the epilogue where they have come full circle.

Veritas is Latin for "truth".

_**Veritas**_

_And this time, this time it is a hopeful heart that beats again._

Words seem at the same time worthless and absolutely necessary. He is standing just before her now and the smile is still on her lips. It is a time to speak but no words greet her. There were so many things to be conveyed, yet no sounds were uttered. The beating in his heart has not soothed to a low hum. It was still rapid within his chest as this moment stretched. He wanted to savor it. This moment of the unknown. This feeling of newness. They had come full circle now. This was their new beginning. This was his new world. A world where he could actually hope and be with her. This is what he hopes. He hopes to be with her. Fear for her sake had been what had stopped him before. Now, he felt a different sort of fear as he continues to stare at her. He feared just how things would go now that he was free. Free to feel what he already felt for her. An indeterminable feeling that was strong inside him and no other had produced within him before.

The sparkle in her eyes tell him that she understands. Not only does she understand his thoughts, she knows them. She knows because she can actually hear the thoughts that run through his mind. As he could hear the hopeful thoughts from hers. This strange telepathy that they shared together was going to take some getting used to. It should have bothered him that his mind was being shared. Instead, he only wonders how far they can be from each other before he can no longer feel her presence within his mind. To think, that they actually had time to test all this out. They could do anything and nothing, but he wanted to do everything. This new found liberty was refreshing. This new start was like Spring was to one who had suffered through a long Winter. The ice and snow were finally melting and fresh buds were forcing their way to the surface. How beautiful would their world be in full bloom?

"Does it bother you?" she asks. She does not have to explain to what she is referring. That very thing was telling him that she was anxious for his answer. There was no resentment in her either, but nervousness at his reaction to their connection. This puzzled him, yet at the same time, it was perfectly in character for her. She had always been upfront where he had always been evasive.

It is the first time he has heard her speak since... he does not want to think of that. The sting of that memory is still too fresh in his mind. He suppresses a shudder. There is a slight dip in the garment that she wears and he can see the fresh scar upon her chest. It taunted him and accused him. It asked him why he had done it. It asked him how he could have let it happen.

"A little," he says at last. Of the many things that he owed her, honesty was one of them. They would not have lies in this new beginning, as they would not have war.

"It is, unsettling," she adds carefully. She tilts her head almost teasingly as she looks up at his face. Taking one step closer to him, she looks up into his eyes.

He nods his agreement.

"Do you feel the others as you feel me?" she asks suddenly. There is a strange expression in her face and he does not understand. It almost looks as if she were unhappy with the prospect, instead of intrigued like he would have thought she would be.

"I feel the presence of their Crystals, but I do not hear them as I hear you," he confesses, but he watches her closely as he speaks to observe her reaction. There is that twinkle of satisfaction and happiness in her eyes at his words and it does something to him. Something inside him sighs with her obvious pleasure of this unique ability shared between them.

"How do you feel?" he asks. The pleasant feeling vanishes and he almost dreads her answer, but he has to know.

"I am fine," she says with a quick, pointed nod of her head. "At first I was a little confused to find myself in the middle of a battlefield, but the whispers explained."

He nods with understanding. "I, thank you, for meeting me here," he says hesitantly. "I know that you probably did not want to come back here like this."

"It is a fine night and I feel like we are starting fresh," she says with a quick inhalation of breath. "What better way to start over than coming back here? It was brilliant of you, I think."

"There are many things I would thank you for," he continues.

"And I would hear none of it," she replies. "You were justified."

"So were you in seeking revenge," he counters.

"I was upset," she confesses. "Of course I would be. I was grieving."

"I felt your grief," he says quietly, staring intently at her face. "You should have exacted your rightful revenge."

She shakes her head. "Even then, I knew it would not have been the way it should have been if you had succeeded in your plan."

"How did you know what I had planned?"

"Despite you always claiming to be so dark, I know you to be good," she says with a patient smile. "If I had been the victor of the prize, that would not have made any sense."

"Yes it did," he argues, because it _had_ made sense. She should have had her vengeance on the one who had killed her father. He was just a murderer.

For a reason he cannot fathom, she smiles then. It is a knowing sort of smile that immediately throws him off kilter. She steps closer and he stiffens in a sort of panic.

"I would never have been able to kill you," she confesses and she smiles at the stunned look that must be on his face. "As angry, as vengeful, as justified as I may have been, I could never have done it."

"Why not?" he almost demands and he leans in closer to her face. "Why?"

She does not look afraid when she returns his stare.

"No one should ever die without knowing the feeling of hope," she says.

He frowns.

"You needed to succeed," she explains. "It was always supposed to be you because you have suffered the most."

"And you have not?"

She shakes her head. "Not like you have."

"I do not understand," and he is sure his face expression this without the words.

"Not right now," she agrees. "But you will."

"Will you explain it to me?" he asks meekly.

"Why do you think they found it fit to bring me back to you?" she asks with a teasing smile on her face.

She was like an oracle. She was a goddess. She was of another world.

"I am glad you are back," he admits without any hesitation. Those words sound too cold, too unfeeling but it is all he can express at this moment.

"So am I," she admits too. "How else am I to chase away your nightmares if I am dead?"

"Had you become a ghost or spirit, I would have wanted you to haunt me," he says.

"I can still haunt you now," she says, with a small laugh.

He smirks down at her playfulness. Her manner is just as it was that night. She was charming and teasing and all together everything that made him look in awe at her. He could not have let her see how much she captivated him then, but he could now. He watches her closely and notices her looking at the ring on his finger. The ring that Etro had seen fit to place there without his consent. She looks disapproving and he feels compelled to explain.

"I do not understand the significance of this," he says raising his hand to give her a closer look.

She reaches out tentatively, with that delicate frown still on her face, and touches the metal ring.

"It suits you," she comments but he can sense there is more. "But I do not like that she has a claim on you."

Possessiveness was not something that he would have expected from her. It reflects his own thoughts, to be sure. It just surprises him to see it in her as well. He finds he does not mind it one bit that she is possessive of him. There is a sense of satisfaction that she wants this "claim" over him. It meant that his feelings of possession were not as presumptuous as he had previously thought. This mutual feeling compelled him to reassure her.

"It is just a ring," he soothes, even though he is still tempted to cut the wretched thing off. "No matter what her meaning, it does not hold the same meaning to me."

She stares at it a moment longer and the feelings he is receiving from her are a mixture of jealousy, curiosity and suspicion.

"You will not share me?" he asks, a bit of his usual cocky facade returns. It is his turn to be teasing.

"No," she says bluntly. "In my dreams I did not envision having to share the angel in my dreams."

"I thought you were going to settle for a boy," he says with raised eyebrows.

"As you will settle for _just_ a girl?" she counters, looking back up at his face.

"I am not settling for just a girl," he says and his smirk turns into a soft smile as he sees and feels the confusion from her eyes. "I am gaining a star. My Bright Star."

"I do not settle for a boy," she replies with a matching smile. "I am gaining a prince. My Dark Prince, with fire in his eyes and whispers in his ear. He will watch the world below along with me."

"I think you lie when you claim you cannot shine against the artificial lights of the city," he chides softly. Their faces are coming closer together. "There is no light that could possibly outshine the brightness of yours."

She looks at him curiously for a moment before she smiles one of those heart stopping smiles.

"Those words from anyone else's lips would have sounded almost too sweet to consume," she says.

"But since they were from mine?" he asks.

She gives him an assessing look before responding. "I feel like you give me too much credit," she confesses. "It gives me the pressure to be perfect and I am no angel."

"But at least you are a girl," he says.

"You really are trying to make me fall in love with you," she says and there is a look on her delicate features that tells him that she likes the idea. It gives him hope.

"You said you had already started," he says with a smirk again.

"That I did and still hold to," she says frankly.

For some reason, she does not press for a declaration for his own feelings. Hers, she does not deny and expresses freely. But she does not demand a similar confession in return for her own. He does not even feel a secret wish for a similar declaration from him from their connection. All he can feel is her caution. A caution that was fueled by his last reaction to her blunt declaration. If he had not felt as strongly as he had already for her, he knows that he would have started to form them now. The lack of pressure leaves him eager to give her his own assurances.

"I will declare to you what I did not before," he says. He pauses to watch the eager anticipation on her face. This look, this expression, he will cherish for as long as he lives. Within the bright eagerness of her eyes, he knew one thing. His new world, was in her. "I may have already started as well."


	11. Caelum

**Prompt: **#9 Heaven

**Summary: **The trials, the fights and the victories they have faced together have brought them to this.

**A/N: **This is from The Eclipse Series. After Matrimonium and before the Epilogue.

Caelum, as everyone has already looked up, is Latin for "Heaven".

_**Caelum**_

The morning rays of a new day stretch across the carpeted floor. The soft, gossamer curtains do very little to keep the light out. They cannot deny this coming approach of burning light. A new start. A new life was dawning. The night had been used to consummate the union and fulfill the promise of this new beginning. One part of their lives had ended, the solitary part, and now, another journey had begun. This moment forward, it was always to be together and never again, alone. The freshness of this is shown in the warm rays stretching out towards them now. Soon, they would awaken and step out of doors to inhale the light, fresh crispness of it. This was a hopeful beginning. Not yet though. Soon, they will venture out, but not yet. There are things more precious. There are things more pressing that make the hope emerging outside inferior and less important.

Sonnets were created to profess _this_ praise. Poems were formed with the boasts of _this_ passion. Yet, none seem to do _this_ justice. None seem to describe _this_ to the fullest. No matter how eloquent. No matter how lyrical. No matter how accented. They all paled in comparison to _this_. No words ever formed could ever express _this_. Nothing could do _this_ justice.

"And nothing could ever replace it," he whispers in a deep and doubtless voice.

He could almost envy the dream she was so obviously having in her slumber as he watches her. There was a jealous twinge within him that it had claimed her and taken her away from him. Taken her away to a place that he could not follow. She was not to leave him, not even to a dream. Not when he was selfish. She was his as he was hers. Two halves finally brought together to become whole. They could never be shared. He wanted to be there with her, if there she would be. There was no contentment to be left with only her frame. That could not satisfy. It was more than her shell that he desired and loved. It was all of her. He could not have one without the other. No matter the form, the kindred that she was would have always drawn him. It was that inner strength and inside person that he so dearly loved.

As much as he wished her to leave her dreamworld and come back to him, he also does not wish to wake her. Her dreams were obviously pleasant ones. He who only knew nightmares before, appreciated even the most trivial of dreams. The look of peace and contentment in her face is one that should not be interrupted and the dream, the lovely dream, that ensnared her now was richly deserved. He had given her too much turmoil. So he allows her brief respite because it is one of many things that he owes her. He owes her a dream come true.

A soft moan escapes her sensual lips and he closes his eyes as he feels a rush of pleasure coarse through him from her. She may not be conscious, but he could still feel what she felt. He feels these things now as if they were his own feelings. In a way, he supposes, they are. Their hearts were so in harmony that her feelings would always be his own. She was now his wife. She was now to him as his body was to him. She was now his own flesh.

When he opens his eyes, he is greeted with the sparkling blue of her eyes. Within their depths he sees his own emotions shining back at him. It was the _this_. This, the thing that nothing could ever describe. To be loved as deeply and as equally as you did love, was the greatest possession in life. It is a warmth. It is a shelter. It is a heaven. Within the confines of this bed, within the sheets that cover their bodies, there is this heaven. Their shared bliss and the bright future they were to share together. That was the _this_.

"I could almost thank Etro," she whispers unexpectedly. Her eyes are slowly tracing the features of his face in awed appreciation.

"Why?" he inquires. He does not think he will ever hear that name without the anger. If there was ever a being that deserved such resentment, it was that thing.

"If we were brought together under easier circumstances, I do not think I would truly appreciate this gift," she explains.

"Perhaps not," this he can agree on, but he would never consider any sort of thanks to that evil.

"I could have loved you less," she says, smoothing out his confused frown as her hand traces his brow. "Because even within this moment, with my heart so full for you, I know I could love you more."

The sentiment rushes the air to his lungs because he understands that sense of fullness that she speaks of. He too, could have loved her less but he knows he could love her more. His love was not done.

"I may burst with all this love," he says lightly, to get a smile from her.

Smile she does. "Mean to the end," she accuses with a false pout, while moving to press herself closer to him.

The softness of her skin against his, weakens him. He cannot suppress the urge to touch the very same places he had learned the night before. Her fingers lower to stroke the lines of his collarbone while his hand glides across the natural silk of her white skin. He knows his eyes have darkened as they follow the paths his hands are taking. The need to caress is soon replaced with the desire to possess.

"I have been deceived," he professes.

"How?" she asks. Her voice is breathy and distracted. He knows he only has half her attention as his hands work to claim her.

"I was told once that I was settling for a girl."

She makes a sound of amusement before it changes to a gasp of pleasure. Her back arches, causing her body to lift as if in offering to him. As tempting as the image is, he does not lower his lips to kiss her. His hands continue their movements and his eyes drag over her form in silent reverence.

"Do not...tell me...I have become an angel," she manages to say between moans before paying him back with her own hands, causing him to groan.

"You and Etro have been miscast in this play," he explains. He is almost too caught up in sensation that he has to close his eyes a moment to focus, because he is resolved to say this. "You are the goddess and she is the mere girl."

"What are you?" she manages to gasp out.

He stops the movement of his hands and smiles down at her.

"The one whose lips were made to worship you," he says, as he finally lowers his lips to her body to pay his homage.


	12. Speculum

**Prompt:** #2 Mirror

**Summary:** What things do you see within your reflection?

**A/N:** This is set in the Adventum Aduro verse.

Speculum is Latin for "Mirror".

_**Speculum**_

For a castle this grand, it was a surprise to note that it did not have many mirrors. There were very few of the reflective frames littered about the halls. Of the times she had ventured towards the wing that housed Noctis' rooms, she had noted that there were not any at all. It seemed almost out of character for the womanizing monarch. So they said about him anyway. Noctis had a reputation for being a little bit of a romantic figure and the way he carried himself, the way he walked, from the clothes he wore, you would think that he was conscious of his appearance at all times. Conscious enough to keep at least one mirror in that wing of the castle, but no. It served to show you just how inaccurate first impressions and reputations can be. From what she knew of the man himself, he did not take too much care in how he looked. He was conscious of being watched and acted accordingly, but he did not take too much care with his outer appearance. The set of his shoulders, the sureness of his walk and the clothes on his back were just naturally his taste. They did not follow the styles of the day nor were they fabricated. It all combined to be him and anyone who looked hard enough at him, would know that he was so much more than the devastatingly handsome man that he was.

One other thing that she has noticed too. While, Noctis may stalk her in his own way, she watched him as carefully as he did her. She just knew how to be more subtle about it. During the time they had spent together, there had been quick flashes of moments where she had caught him. He did not seek his reflection and he did not hide from it either. It was obvious, though, that he did not like the image of himself in the mirror, but he did not cower when he was forced to look. Instead he always seemed to frown. There was always a disapproving look on his face when he would accidentally glimpse himself in a mirror as he happened to walk passed one. She knew, that it was not his outward appearance that he frowned out. He was very aware of how handsome he was. After catching that same reaction more than once, she began to watch those rapid expressions more closely. Before, she had not kept her observations on any specific part of him. Noctis consumed her thoughts with everything that he did. Now, she paid more attention to his eyes. Those eyes that told so little yet spoke so much. She only needed to figure out what they did say.

On many occasions afterwards, she would stare at her own reflection and wonder. Depending on her moods, she loved or hated mirrors in general, but she does not think she ever did a full examination of herself within them before. Not to this extent at least. So, while alone in her room, she had started to sit in front of her vanity and stare at the image looking back at her carefully. With a sort of detachment, she had looked at her own features closely. Seeing nothing too unusual, she had leaned in closer so that all she could see were her own two eyes staring back at her. Maybe it was her personality. Or maybe it was because she never had anything consciously to hide. She could see that her eyes were weary, but she did not see anything else. It was only until this moment, while passing an impressively sized mirror in the hallway, that she caught a glimpse of what Noctis may see in himself that made him sneer at his own reflection.

She had known already that it had nothing to do with his outward appearance that had him looking at himself with such loathing. He should have been more than satisfied at what he saw reflected back at him. Unless, he did not realize just how good an image he made. It seemed unthinkable that he should not know what a fine specimen he was. What did he imagine when he looked into the glass? Did he muse over his own imperfections and sneer because he hated himself? Nobody should ever dislike themselves like that. Least of all Noctis. He and his companions had found a way to save their world. He was doing so much good. He was not the dark evil that he had always believed that he was. This makes her sigh as she continues standing in front of the large glass. Maybe she had something to do with that. She is sure that she does.

The downward turn of their relationship was wearing thin. Something had to give. Not that he was avoiding her. They even spoke. He did not keep his distance like she had been afraid that he would. He was always there when he was supposed to be there and he was pleasant. One would have thought that nothing was amiss. She might have at one time too. Noctis seemed to have cultivated the skill of pretending very well. A skill she probably would not have noticed. It was just the feeling behind it. There was a tension within him that she felt as if it were her own. She had hurt him. Though she was sorry to have hurt him like that, it had been the truth. She did consider herself his weakness as he was her weakness. The thing was that they could use it as a strength too. They were stronger together than they were apart. He knew this. He should know this. Yet, he thought that was the only reason she had chosen him. That it had been her self preserving need to survive at any cost, that had her clinging to him and leaving Divum behind.

Despite what Noctis thought, and she could already guess what that was, she did not leave Divum because her energies would deplete without him. She can understand how he could think so, but she still bristles at his logic. It made her seem selfish and inconstant; fickle. Fickle was a characteristic that she had always despised and his logic painted her as such. Divum had known from the outset that Noctis had her heart. It was just that Divum was included in that heart too. Divum was the comfort she had needed, even though she had not sought it. She had not given him false promises either. There had never been a moment where she had led Divum to believe that she could completely love him. He had understood, but that did not mean that he had not tried. He had tried and not in a forceful way. He was kind. He was trusting. He was there. There when Noctis had not been. He had trusted her while Noctis had not. She knew where she stood with him while she had no idea where she stood with Noctis. He did not leave her confused, while Noctis had never given her a chance to focus.

By all accounts, she should have loved Divum. She should have picked Divum because of all the things that he was and Noctis was not. She _should_ have, but that did not mean she _could_ have. No, there was no way that she would have been able to, even if she had not known what she did now. She definitely could not have lived knowing that Noctis had done all these things for her. Yes, he had stayed away. Yes, he had made her confused. Yes, he had neglected to do a lot of things. The reason she had picked him was because of what he _had_ done. She had known he had wanted her as much as she had wanted him. She had known his tumultuous feelings for her. She had known they were supposed to be together. What she had not known nor could she have even imagined, were the lengths to which he would go for her sake. Not only to win her affections, but to save her life. There was nothing more noble, more pure, more selfless than to put someone else's needs in front of your own. No matter that he had made his mistakes, he had found the final solution. He had done what he had set out to do, no matter at what cost to himself and his wants. What had tipped the scales completely was when she had seen him standing there, standing just below her window. He had given her the power to choose. He had not known she would have chosen him anyway, but he had given her a choice. No matter if her decision would hurt him, he had let it be her decision. He would not make her do anything. That, was why she had chosen him. That was why she wanted to stay with him and had not picked Divum.

"You do not have to improve what needs no improving," says a deep voice nearby.

Its presence does not startle her and she can hear the sound of footfalls before she sees his face reflected just behind her. His spiky, midnight hair sticks out against her blond locks and his face looks as if it were just beside her own. She can feel the warmth of his breathe on her shoulder and feels a sigh of relief. Already, she feels stronger with him so near. His eyes remain on her face and observes her in that intense way that only he has mastered.

"Neither should you," she comments, looking up into his reflected eyes.

There is a small crease in his eyes that tell her that she has struck a nerve. It is the only outward sign he gives her. The expression on his face does not change. It looks as if he has not decided on which words to use to respond so she speaks before he can.

"I know what you will say and I do not believe you," she tells him. "It is all in the perception of the one looking."

"I already know how you perceive me," he says and he does not mask the bitterness and hurt in his face or in his voice.

"No, you don't," she says turning around to look at him and not the reflection.

He does not step away from her and meets her eyes steadily. His face is looking down at her and they are standing so close, she could brush her nose against his chin. The man really did not have a bad angle. How he could not see within himself what she saw, was something unfathomable to her. To tell him how handsome he was, would only have him smirking at her. To tell him how good he was, would only have him denying it. She had to choose her words carefully because there was already so much between them that was misunderstood and taken badly.

"He could never be you," she tells him simply.

He blinks down at her for one blank moment before he frowns.

"Mirrors can be distorted and misleading," she explains. "Sometimes our eyes can be fooled, but there are things that cannot be fooled and it is with those that I see you."

She reaches up and takes hold of his face. It is the boldest move she has ever taken with him. They do not touch very often. He makes a simple thing as touch difficult. She knows he does this because he is afraid of giving in. He is afraid of that loss of control and further her belief in his weakness. She would tell him one day that she reveled in his loss of control. The last time he had lost his control had resulted in the most mind blowing kiss she had ever received. That had been the closest he had ever gotten to her physically. She wants that again and that meant that she needed to get through to him.

"My heart and my mind and my very being see you for what you are, even when you cannot see it yourself. Their vision cannot be fooled nor distorted nor fake. I see _you._" She turns back around and shows him what they look like together. "When I look at myself, I want to see you. As much as I lamented the loss of a different life, there is no other life I would have chosen because this is how we belong."

"Black and white do not reflect each other," he says gravely, but she can see that he wants to believe her.

"You jumped," she says softly. "Why do you insist on going back?"

"I was not going to," he says and she knows he is not lying. "I was merely allowing you to wander away if you wished."

"I think I have already given you a reasonable reason why there is no other choice," she says. "He could have never been you."

"I would have thought that would be something in his favor," he says sardonically, but his voice sounds lighter.

"I could be very upset with you," she retorts and puts her her hands upon her hips. "To insinuate that I would choose you just because I did not want to die is very insulting."

The show of anger surprises him, but not in an unpleasant way. She needs him to snap out of this low. His moods were just as varied as the moon that he represented. She wonders if this were the new moon phase where all was dark at night. It was certainly fitting. As he tilts his head at her curiously, she thinks she may be right. Trust him not to try and defend himself with sweet words like any normal man would either. There is something in his eyes now that was not there before and it gives her hope. She is almost tempted to huff when she realizes what it is. Yes, trust him to react _that_ way as well. Not the least bit afraid of her anger, instead, he is looking at her now as if he found her almost adorable. The man had a very dark sense of humor.

"Where did the moon go?" she asks instead, while eying him carefully.

For a brief moment, she is afraid that he will revert back to his melancholy mood. Back to that new moon where the moon was virtually invisible with its full blackness.

"That depends," he answers and she can see a hint of something else. It was something not despair and self loathing and she knew she really _was_ getting somewhere. "Will the sun be kind?"

She could almost sigh in relief.

Almost.

"That depends," she retorts, repeating his words. "Will the moon stop hiding?"

"It has not been hiding," he says and he has the nerve to sound a little indignant. This, she likes and she nearly smiles.

"Well, why has it not kept me interested?" she nearly demands.

"And what, oh sun, would keep you interested?" he asks and he says it with that smirk that she has missed seeing on his lips.

"For one thing," she says as if she is really contemplating the answer. "The sun does not like dreary days or nights. It is not within its character to like it. So, you will have to try and be more cheery."

"How does one try to be cheery?" he asks and there is a raised eyebrow now. That smugness that he had, had the night they had met was coming out at last.

"Perhaps wearing something other than black?" she asks and she asks it just to get a reaction out of him.

She is not disappointed when he looks as if he is actually worried about her dislike of his wardrobe color of choice.

"Would you also like me to skip about for your pleasure?" he asks unexpectedly in a very dry voice.

She smiles widely then.

"Depends, could we both skip while holding hands?" she teases and he tilts his head to the side to look at her. Of course he would not fall for that tease. "A compromise?"

"I can do that," he nods.

She smiles brightly at him through her reflection then. He in turn, gives her a smirk through his. Two faces within a single mirror. They did not quite reflect as they should, as the moon reflects the sun, but she felt a hope now that they would get there.


	13. Annecto

**Prompt:** #40 Online

**Summary:** There are some things you just should not publish.

**A/N:** This takes place in The Eclipse Series. Just what did the boys do that afternoon before the wedding.

Annecto is Latin for "to connect".

_**Annecto**_

"It isn't that I don't trust you."

"Here we go," utters a sarcastic voice.

"It's just that if you mess this up..."

"We're screwed?" is the helpful, though dry reply.

"Well, Noct here would always take the fall," is suggested.

"So why am I the only one not nervous?" Noctis asks with his eyebrows raised at the complainer.

"I'm not nervous!"

"You're rambling," points out Vires.

"I always ramble," Des says to defend himself.

"Not as fast as when you're nervous," adds Sapien, tapping away at the small console that they are all awkwardly looking at together. Not that any of them could understand what he was doing. There were several screens of code that Sapien was typing quickly into and with rapid succession. None of them knew a thing about codes but it was always fascinating to watch Sapien at work.

"Okay so maybe I am a little worried," concedes Des.

"You're not the one that's going to get into trouble if we get caught," frowns Vires.

"Despite what you all might think," sniffs Des indignantly. "I do care if Noct gets into trouble."

"He won't," responds Sapien, with more quick typing.

"What do you think will happen if we get caught?" asks Des a little hesitantly.

"Where is your devious streak?" demands Vires.

"Where is the Des we know?" Noctis asks. "Who is this responsible Des that has replaced him?"

"Oh don't put it on me!" cries Des. "I'm thinking about the look on Stella's face if we get caught doing this."

There is a silence while they all contemplate this, but only Noctis is smirking. Stella knew better than to think that they would actually get caught. That was exactly why she had not tried to stop him in the first place.

"Well, she does pack quite a punch," comments Sol.

Yes, the evidence of her punch was currently turning his eye purple. The sunny bastard had put on make up in an attempt to cover it up before they had left the castle, but not enough apparently. He could see the the discoloring beneath the powdery substance on the other man's face.

"She did not protest when I told her I would seek revenge," Noctis says darkly. "Besides, they insinuated that she was a whore and I will not have that."

"Doesn't mean she'll approve either," adds Des. "All of you do realize that what we are doing is, more than illegal."

"Will you shut up already?" groans Vires. He can tell that his scarred friend is half tempted to plop Des on the side of the head.

"This is about Stella's reputation," says Sapien. "It's a good cause, so stop your blabbering."

"So sorry if I am worried about your safety," scoffs Des, folding his arms.

"You're just worried about your own hide, Bobble Head," comments Sol as he smiles kindly at two women that have passed them on the sidewalk. The four of them were trying to be incognito as Sapien typed the finishing touches of his program. For some reason he had to be within a certain distance from the building and could not do it from the castle.

"So much for not drawing attention to ourselves," mutters Des.

"You're just jealous that I can still get the ladies even with a shiner," retorts Sol with a graceful nod at the giggling ladies as they both turn around to get one last look at him. "And you could put away your ridiculous sunglasses. If they haven't recognized that stringy stuff you call hair, the sunglasses would have caught their eye. Besides, I'm sure you'll be the talk of the town."

"Wouldn't want to take away your thunder," Des says smartly.

"As if you could," replies Sol with a roll of his eyes.

"I'm done," says Sapien. He pulls out a mini USB and puts the mini console into a bag slung over his shoulder. He looked like a student at a university with the clothes and bag he was donning.

"Does everyone remember what they have to do?" he asks. It is a needless question but someone has to ask it and it might as well be him.

"Mine is the most straight forward," comments Vires.

He knows Vires wants to say, the least fun role but he knows he is the best and fastest driver of the group. Besides, his unmarked, untraceable van was not to driven by anyone but himself.

"Now Des, make sure you do not...," he has a hard time finding the right words.

"They already know what you look like so don't be stupidly obvious," finishes Sol for him.

Unlike him, Sol has no scruples about hurting Des' feelings. Which was unlikely anyway, considering nothing Sol said would ever hurt Des' feelings. He has a feeling that Sol knows this already, but it does not stop him. If anything, Des was incredibly easy to bait.

"I am never stupidly obvious!" cries Des.

"No, just regular obvious," retorts Vires.

"I am a good actor," reassures Des, pointedly ignoring Vires' comment.

"Are you telling me that all this time you were pretending to act like a fool?" asks Sol with mock astonishment.

"Why? Were you fooled?" asks Des with an equally mocking eagerness in his face.

"Well knock me over with a feather," feigns Sol with a batting of his eyes.

Vires snorts and Sapien shakes his head. Noctis merely smiles.

"Yeah and you can gag me with a spoon the next time you try and give me the eye, Sunshine," warns Des.

"A fine specimen such as myself would not deign to submit himself to one such as you if he preferred the masculine variety," retorts Sol.

Vires rolls his eyes and Des snorts boisterously.

"Is that why I catch you giving Noctis the eye?" asks Des.

"And just why are you watching me in the first place?" asks Sol, not the least bit ruffled by the accusation.

"Someone has to keep an eye on you," shrugs Des but a sly grin. "Who knows who you'll try to seduce next."

Sol scoffs indignantly. "I don't 'try' anything. I am always met with success."

The man really had a flourish for this kind of exchange. Des was the only one of them that would rise to the challenge consistently. He wonders if they could both keep it up all day if they were allowed.

"I beg to differ!"

"Do you even know what that means?" asks Sol.

"I'm not entirely stupid," says Des.

"That is possibly the smartest thing you have ever said. 'Not entirely stupid' as opposed to 'completely stupid'?"

"Save it," states Sapien, bringing them all back to attention.

"Are you ready?" asks Noctis with a smirk that wants to be a smile at the exchange that was just halted.

"The whole lot of you are too easy to bait," Sol comments with a smirk. "Getting a rise out of you has always been enjoyable." Then he looks over at Sapien. "Well except that one, he does not seem human."

"I'm actually a robot that Des built in his basement," comments Sapien dryly, as he finishes typing in a few commands on his handheld. "Now, shall we get started?"

Sapien looks at Noctis expectantly. He has the urge to roll his eyes about having to be the one who had to be the grown up, but manages to look at Des and Sol seriously.

"Will you both remember that you are supposed to be pretending and are not actually trying to hurt each other?"

"We're professional," reassures Des.

"Absolutely," drawls Sol with a small shrug.

"Not too much," reminds Sapien.

"Don't you trust me?" asks Des with mock offense.

"Recipe for trouble," comments Vires as he drives them towards a small alleyway near the target building. There was a twinkle of mischief in Des' eyes and they all knew what that meant.

"Well then it is just as well that I live for trouble," retorts Sol.

"Hey Sunshine, I have got the best idea," says Des.

"I am all ears," reassures Sol and it is hard to tell whether he is sincere or not.

Sapien and Noctis step out of the van together. Neither one of them get to hear Des' best idea before the door is shut and the van is already moving.

"If they get caught?" asks Sapien, as they both stand a moment to stare as the van turns the corner and out of sight.

"At least we know where they will be taken," comments Noctis.

"Knowing Goldie, he'll want that publicity," retorts Sapien with a smirk.

He smirks. "Ready?" asks Noctis, as the two of them started to focus on the task at hand.

"Ready," replies Sapien and they both disappear in a shattering of crystals.

They reappear on the top of the building.

"When they're ready, we have to be here," says Sapien, pointing to a dot on his handheld.

"Got it," answers Noctis. "We are ready."

"Walking towards the lobby now," says Des. "Watch the collar Hot Pants. This shirt was expensive."

"Then I shall enjoy this," answers Sol before they hear a scuffling sound and the sharp sounds of slaps being exchanged. There are dragging sounds with shouts of protests which tells them that Sol must have Des in some sort of lock and was hauling him towards the building's lobby.

"I might have to hack into their video feed later," states Sapien. "I kinda wish I could see this."

"Me too," he agrees.

"Get your orange painted mitts off me!" demands Des loudly.

"Like I would let a perfectly good spray tan go to waste on you," retorts Sol.

Their voices have started to echo, which meant they had reached the front desk of the lobby.

"Girl or Boy as the receptionist?" wagers Sapien quickly.

"Girl," he smirks, just before they both hear a young feminine voice ask if Sol and Des needed any help.

"Yes, you may." Sol's voice is all charm and flirtations. He is sure he is giving the poor girl a heart attack with his smile too. Stella and Procella seemed to be the only two women in the world that were immune. "I am sure you have read this morning's article, featuring yours truly?"

They hear a grunt of pain and a short scuffle where they assume Des has made another attempt at dislodging himself from Sol's grip. Des actually hollers out in pain after another smack and they miss what the receptionist says in reply.

"You see, Doll," continues Sol as if he had not been interrupted. "My picture was rather unflattering. This fiend here," there is a pause as if he takes a moment to motion towards Des. Fiend was said a in particularly disdainful manner. "Had the audacity to say that my nose looked too big."

"Your nose _did_ look too big you hairless ape!" cries Des.

"Ready?" Noctis asks Sapien.

Sapien nods and they both disappear with another flash of shattered crystal.

"Do you recognize this fellow?" Sol asks. There is another pause and given the lack of verbal response, he is left to assume that the receptionist merely nods. "Then I do not have to explain. I would like to speak to your editor, as I plan on filing a complaint for defamation of character."

Des snorts rather loudly. "Defamation of your nose!"

"That and I would also claim that this hoodlum threatened my person," Sol claims dramatically. "Just look at the amount of foundation I had to apply to try and cover this." He must have pointed to his eye then because the receptionist makes a sound that sounds like a gasp of outrage for Sol's sake. Trust the Sunny Man to garner symphony so quickly.

"Nothing you didn't deserve," Des shamelessly declares.

There is more scuffling and who knows what other jabs would have been sent if the Crystal Toxin Warning Alarm had not gone off at that moment.

"What's this?" cries Sol with an indignant voice. "I am to be poisoned as well as marred? Yes, you shall definitely be hearing from my council."

There is the sound of rushing bodies as everyone evacuates onto the street in response to the blaring alarms going off all around the large building.

"Forgetting something!" shouts Des.

"Not at all," claims Sol and there is the sound of air getting knocked out of someone's lungs. There is no telling who it was until…

"That's it! I am sabotaging your shampoo!" warns Des. It sounds like he is holding his nose.

"Do you even know what that is?" retorts Sol. Then he speaks specifically for the others listening in. "We're out."

"We're online," responds Sapien.

"Meet you are the rendezvous point," Noctis says before he and Sapien are gone again.

There is the sound of many rushing bodies and one can surmise that they are waiting until they are a safe distance away before they speak again.

"Bobble Head, when under pressure you really do lose any wit you may have," comments Sol not too kindly.

"I told you I was nervous!" cries Des.

"The all foolish Des has forgotten how to be a fool?"

"You had it covered," says Des and he can hear the shrug in his voice.

The both of them jump into the white van quickly before the van is in motion again to reach Sapien and Noctis at another spot. Both of whom join them in the vain as calmly as they had exited a few minutes before. All the while Des and Sol keep up their argument.

"Of course I did. I do not fall flat under pressure," comments Sol with a roll of his eyes.

"I probably wouldn't either if I had that much gel in my hair," retorts Des.

"You might want to get some of your own since Noctis needs all the wax he can obtain to get his hair that way," Sol says with a flickering glance towards Noctis. Noctis merely rolls his eyes in response. "You could do with a comb too, seeing as you haven't discovered one yet."

"The ruffled look is endearing, I'll have you know."

"For a simpleton," Sol adds.

"Okay, now I am confused," Des says with his most baffled look. "First you admit to giving Noctis the eye and now you're saying I'm endearing?"

It was an obvious bait and Sol did not disappoint.

"I admitted nothing. While you on the other hand, admitted to giving me the eye," Sol gave Des a crooked look. "Is that why you're constantly fighting with Vires? Is that your foreplay?" He retorts and he does not even seem to care that he has upset Vires with that latest jab.

Des sputters indignantly while Vires looks like he may give Sol a matching shiner on the other eye. Sol continues to look unaffected and almost relaxed, even a little smug. The pretty man really had no regard for his face.

"Now, Des' basement robot," says Sol, dismissing Vires and Des. "Can we say mission accomplished?"

"You can tell me next week," Sapiens says blandly.

"Hope so because Sunshine ripped off one of my buttons," complains Des.

"I assure you I did nothing of the sort," says Sol. "You have no idea how to maintain your clothes."

"Was it a little too mean?" Noctis asks, suddenly feeling pensive and looking at Des.

"My manly chest would be too much for the ladies like this," Des continues, ignoring Sol.

"Well, just think about it this way," says Sapien to Noctis. "They should have been more careful when selecting articles that defame their soon to be queen." They both look at Des. "He's going to get a kick out of it."

Noctis doubts Stella would be too upset to see her slanderers sent into a media scandal, but she might do more than raise an eyebrow when she found out. He hopes that she will be amused.

"Even if you had a manly chest, I doubt it'd be better than mine," Sol says confidently as he and Des continue their snide exchanges without pausing to hear what the others are saying.

"I don't know," says Des. "I don't wax my hair off."

"Perhaps you should," comments Sol with a look of horror as he watches Des open his shirt.

"That actually sounds like an idea," agrees Sapien as he scrunches his nose at the sight.

"Hey!"

"Does that mean I have to spare some of my wax?" asks Noctis with a raised eyebrow.

Vires snorts, Sapien smirks, Des scoffs and Sol smiles a very wicked smile.

"Don't even think about it!" cries Des with a genuinely horrified expression on his face this time.

A week later, when the coverage of his wedding to Stella had finally eased, their plan was revealed to an amused Stella. His ingenious wife had asked an equally amused Procella to remember to save her the magazine issues released during the weeks that they had been away on their honeymoon and had flipped through the issues as soon as they had arrived back in Nihilsomno. When she had caught sight of the cover she had slapped her hand over her mouth to stop the burst of laughter that had almost escaped her beautiful mouth. He walks over to kiss her lightly on the forehead as she giggles into his chest.

"I should not ask the how so I am not going to," she says softly as her hand comes up to cling to his collar to pull him closer.

"That is good because I could not have told you," he smirks, running a hand through her hair. "That would be Sapien's area of expertise."

She chuckles with a nod. "Was this Des' idea?"

"In a way," he says vaguely. "Sol refined the idea."

Stella does laugh then and it makes him chuckle with her.

"To think," she says, pulling back to look up at his face. "At one time I thought _you _would be the one that killed Sol."

"I might have," he winks at her. "But Sol and I have an understanding now."

His wife gives him a smirk of her own.

"I wonder if Des was at all upset," she wonders.

"I doubt it," he says confidently. "He can never complain about never being on the cover of a magazine."

"How is this revenge?" she asks a bit confused. "It looks more like a prank on Des."

"That is the beauty of it," he says. "Every time they mean to publish a demeaning article on my wife, their cover page will automatically change to a picture of a half naked Des."

"Will he always be in a speedo?" Stella says with a barely contained laugh.  
"They hope so," he answers with a smirk.

**

* * *

**

End Note:

For anyone that has not already read _Noctum Will Rise_, _The Eclipse Series _or _Adventum Aduro_, I have provided a cast list/playbill of everyone on my LJ. 


	14. Recidivus

**Prompt: **#32 Return

**Summary: **Someone waits and plans the inevitable.

**A/N: **This takes place after the climactic events in The Eclipse Series.

Recidivus is Latin for "Returning, Restored."

_**Recidivus**_

Some would say this was her just rewards for interfering. Some would say that this was to be expected. She would say that it was just forestalling the inevitable. When was immortal, one had plenty of time to wait, think and plan. This especially held true when the immortal was trapped and had nothing else to do but those three things. After the initial rage had ended, it was time to be reflective. Not only was she trapped in a portal that could not be found by the human eye, she was caught within the realms of dreaming and waking. Banished, trapped and forced to sleep for an indefinite time, once again. Two times now, Noctis has managed to successfully throw her towards the realm of imprisonment. He did this after she had offered herself to him. Twice! First, she had offered herself as a mother to the silly natural one he had just lost as a boy. Second, she had offered herself as the lover that, that girl could never be. Still, he had refused her. He refuses her still. One could say this made her a bit peckish in response.

Who dared refuse a goddess? Not once, but twice? Noctis. Noctis, the dark prince that had seemed born to be hers. Which made him all the more interesting to her. In her time, as long as it had been already, it had not been very hard to seduce a puny mortal. It had always been easy to read what they desired most and she had always chosen just the right enticement to ensnare them to her will. True, some initially refused but eventually, they all gave in to her. She had an excellent track record in that regard. Perhaps she had become too cocky, too self assured that he would not refuse. It had not even occurred to her that that little boy would refuse her. She had known from the beginning that Noctis was special. There was just something about him that had her turning her attentions towards him. Even at so young an age, he possessed something that no mortal before him had. It was hard to define and hard to give a name to. All she did know was that it meant power. So naturally, she wanted him.

It had not been her original intention to kill his parents but she cannot say that she was sad when they had been disposed of by her faithful followers of the Mysterium. Her hopes back then, had been to raise him to the man that she could control. He would be her weapon against any who would stand in her way. He would have been her right hand of Death. Through him, lives would be stolen too soon and make her realm of death the most powerful than the one of life. He had the power to do it for her where she could not have done it herself. Death, ironically, could not directly kill anyone. This did not stop her from planning the demise of many, but it did cut back the amount she would have originally claimed. She knew that eventually, everyone had to die, but that did not stop her from causing their deaths sooner. She was selfish afterall. So Noctis would have been set forth to do what she could not do herself. He would have been magnificent and her more precious possession.

Her plan had almost worked this time. She had been close. So close! Noctis should have finally been the instrument of war he had refused to be when he was younger. Instead, he had chosen peace again. What a disgusting word that was. Peace. It was boring. It was mundane. It was a waste. Noctis was the biggest waste of all. He who had such power would use it to bring about a stale world instead of the violent, delightful world that she had wanted him to create. She is certain he has married that girl too. That girl that he thought he loved so much. That girl that he had preferred over her! He would bring peace to the world with that girl at his side. He was her biggest disappointment as well as her biggest obsession. An obsession that as grown from mild interest to intense jealousy.

She did love him in her way. There was something remarkably charming in the way he constantly defied her. True, she was very put out with him the first time he had thrown her through the portal. When she had been released and seen how he had grown in power and in stature, she had not sought vengeance in the hopes that she could still sway him. Now, she was planning her revenge. Her revenge, however, did not include killing Noctis. She still could not kill, but she could do other things. Cleverness was always one of her best attributes. It was only that she found herself distracted by her weakness for Noctis that she had lost sight of herself. True, her main goal all along had been to use him to bring the world out of the cold war it had frozen itself into all those long, listless years. She was a liar by nature, but she could truthfully admit to herself that her feelings for him clouded her better judgment. Which made him the challenge and thereby, the motivation that would further drive her to her goal.

Etro still had hopes of winning Noctis. She just wanted to wait and let the dreams that trapped her, center around him. That beloved figure that taunted her with his rejection. What a sting his rejection was, but that would only make her eventual victory that much sweeter. She would not always be trapped. There would always be a faithful follower who would try and release her. They did it before. She has no doubts that they will again. She also knows that Noctis knows this too. There is no doubt in her mind that he would do anything within his power to keep her here, but he cannot keep her here forever. She dreams of that time. That moment when she would be awoken and released again. Then she could exact her revenge. Her return would be victorious and then, she would not fail. She would have Noctis at last. It was only a matter of time.


	15. Crystallinus

**Prompt:** #13 Crystal

**Summary:** Only together can they accomplish what they must.

**A/N:** This is from the Adventum Aduro verse.

Crystallinus is Latin for "of Crystal".

_**Crystallinus**_

The Crystal Activation process was still a bit hazy to her. Despite having it explained to her in full technical and patient detail by Phil, most of what he said had gone right over her head. Not that it was his fault. It was a lot to say and process. She knows that had she been involved from the beginning, she would have gotten what he said right away. Only, she had not been there from the beginning and was therefore thoroughly confused. Not only was it a lot to say, simplifying it would not have done it justice. What she _had_ gathered was that it was similar to when she accessed her power. Not much thought was required to do that. All it had always been was natural instinct as opposed some sort of premeditated training. It was just something she naturally knew instead of something she had to remind herself of. This, though, was not just her own instinct at work. She had to do this with Noctis. It was something of them both combined that would bring this forth. That was the complicated part that she had trouble grasping.

This Activation process was a tricky thing. She hopes that this easier camaraderie they had just established would make things less complicated. They had already activated a handful of Crystals but they had not been charged to their full potential. Though they were functioning, their life expectancies were not long. All the ones they had already activated were restricted to testing and not to actual use. Noctis and Phil suspected this was because of her still depleted power. From Phil's calculation, she was not even at a quarter of her full potential. She could agree with that. She could have also dealt better with this news if they had not looked at her with such pity. Noctis had looked guiltier, which she was not sure was any better. So, they had made no further attempts at activating more Crystals. It made her feel even more useless than she already felt. Cal had gone back to Tenebrae to represent her in her absence so she had no real company. Since she could not leave Noctis, it was not even an issue that she should stay in Nihilsomno or not. It was vital that she stay, she just had no idea how long that time would be. So she had, had to conduct her various meetings via video conference instead of physically attending. It was so different from actually being there and she could not help but feel disconnected. Faces watched on a screen did not replace her presence in the flesh. If it were not for Cal's trustworthiness, she does not think she could have kept it up for long. She had her duties, but she was not stubborn enough to think she could leave. Five years of suffering the effects of energy depletion would take away any initial bristles of wounded feminism. This was about her survival and the survival of everyone on their planet.

She had mostly been teasing when she had told him they should compromise, but he seemed eager to actually do it. Even though her first reaction had been to protest that it was not really necessary, she had stopped herself. Perhaps, it would make him feel better and it would help them establish a better relationship. A relationship that was more on equal footing at least in his mind. He made her seem like she was the martyr when she happened to think the opposite. She had not sacrificed anything. She had been a victim, yes, but she had not really done anything. It was he who had done everything. If anyone should feel inadequate, it should be her. To tell Noctis that, however, would be rather fruitless. He would never accept that, even when it was the truth. Amazing how the both of them felt inadequate when they compared themselves to the other.

The look on his face when she had suggested a different color for his wardrobe had been almost comical. She is sure she would have laughed if he had not looked so serious at that moment. If she were more like Cal, she would not have let the opportunity be passed up. It had been good to see that smart wit and charming smirk present instead of the guilt she had seen these last few months. Trust him not to take her skipping option seriously but take her color option with horror. The man was so unpredictable in his reactions sometimes. He was quickly becoming her solace too. Her only one. She was beginning to depend on him with more than just her life. The more time she spent with him, the more she found herself liking him. Liking him as a person, instead of being inexplicably drawn to him by a force stronger than her own. It made all the difference. She found she liked him very much and she looked forward to every and any moment she could spend with him. With each of these moments, good or bad, her was stealing her heart away from her.

"Would you be up for an outing?" he had asked her earlier.

"I would love it!" she all but shouted in her excitement.

"Even when I have not mentioned where?" he asked with that smirk and a sly challenge.

It was so good to see that smirk so often now. It had been accompanied with that dark look that was always present in his eyes. They had been amused but the intensity never diminished.

"I just want to be with you," she had answered honestly. No point in beating around the bush and being coy.

That definitely had not been the expected answer but the look within those eyes had changed to something that greatly pleased her. Her entire body had felt alive and tingling in the most delightful way. She would have swooned, but she knew that he would have tensed if she leaned in closer to him. He was still very conscious of keeping his distance. But what woman would not like to be looked at like that from a man like Noctis? How she longed for another moment just like that night he had thought to let her go. The restrained passion as his lips had brushed against hers and those words that were like music. She hopes that one day he would be that way with her again. Only this time, he would not be restrained.

He did not respond verbally to her admission but he did not have to. That look was answer enough for her and he was not simple enough not to realize that.

"Was there any place in particular you wished to go?" he asked after some time. She knew it had not been because he was stunned speechless. No, he recovered quicker than any man should and her statement was just as bold as his have been. He had just been too busy in his silent musings to say anything earlier.

"Not particularly," she responded with a pointed look. It was meant to repeat her previous admission. She just wanted to be with him. "Should I try to dress incognito?"

"It is not entirely necessary. Whatever you feel comfortable with," was the response.

She gave him a curious look then and tried to imagine him with a hat on to try and hide his trademark spikes.

"Incognito," she decided, because she wanted to see what he would wear.

The smile that had formed on his lips told her that he had been hoping for that answer.

"Incognito," he repeated by way of agreement. "Is an hour sufficient enough?"

"Yes."

"Then I shall meet you here then," he said, as inclined his head to her before turning to walk away.

She was all set in less than an hour. Taking another look at herself in the mirror, she thought she looked appropriate. With enough time to do a lot of idling around, she had, had many chances to check which were the latest fashions in Nihilsomno. As a public figure who occasionally needed a chance to be someone not herself, she was well versed with being fashionable without bringing too much attention to herself. It also worked in the off chance that she was recognized, they could not say that her outfit out of date either. She had opted for a pair of white slim pants with a long, fitted turquoise tunic and a scarf strategically wrapped around her hair. A pair of large, dark, oval sunglasses hid her eyes and she thought she did not look like a princess. She wanted to wear something bright and something different. It had been her intention to not wear white but she could not help it. White was just her color, but she did look a little different and certainly not herself. Her small face was half hidden by her sunglasses and the scarf covered the majority of her pony tailed blond hair.

It could not be helped. Try as she might, there was no way she was not going to consider this a date. What else could it be? He had not given her the impression that they would be escorted. They were also going to try and disguise themselves to be like the common folk. So it was not an outing for official government business. This meant that it was a date. It had to. It would be just herself and Noctis, alone. They had never truly been alone before and she finds that instead of being nervous about this, she is ecstatic. Not only was she going to be spending the day outside, she was going to be spending it with Noctis. It was such a happy prospect.

At the first sight of him, she had to pause as one thought passes through her mind. That it really was not fair to other men that he looked so appealing. He was not wearing black. Well, his baseball cap was black and it covered his usually spiky hair, but that was the only thing that was black. He wore a white collared shirt and jeans. A very simple outfit and it was also not fair that he did not have to put so much effort as she to look normal. Even if nobody recognized them, she knew all the women would notice him. He was such a striking figure. She knew she would have been one of them if she had ever passed him on the street. He was worth a second glance.

"Does this count as a compromise?" he asks, looking pointedly at the his lack of black.

"I think it will count a great deal," she responds, approaching him with a faint smile on her lips.

She notices too that he was also missing his gloves, which would have looked awkward anyway. It seemed almost cruel that he had not covered them. As irrational as that sounded, it was true. When covered, she was not as distracted by the temptation of touch because she would not have felt his skin if she touched his hand anyway. Now that they were uncovered, she knew that he would take greater pains not to reach out and touch her because of it. Still, the look within those eyes of his felt like a touch sometimes. When they glanced over her, she could almost feel them as a caress against her skin. The effect had shivers running through her body every time. She was doing more than fighting shivers now. The tension radiating off of him like waves told her that he was trying very hard not to reach out for her with his ungloved hands.

There is that quick pinch and the explosion of energy within her chest again. She does not think she will ever get used to the feeling. Every time felt like the first time. Her hand never failed to come up and clutch her chest in surprise whenever she felt it. It was from him. It was always from him. She could feel her strength renewed and rejuvenated as he continued to look at her. If he could do this without even touching her, why could they not activate the Crystals so easily? Something was obviously missing. It was not something as obvious as touch either. They had touched before and the effect was not always this powerful. Was it really her that was holding the process back? As she thinks this, she looks back up into his eyes and knows that he has guessed her thoughts.

"It is not your fault," he reassures.

"Neither is it yours," she responds.

She can tell that he suppresses a sigh before he seems to realize something.

"May I offer another compromise?" he asks taking a small step closer to her.

"Of course."

"It is not fair for you to be stuck here," he says. "You are a Queen and should therefore be with your people."

She opens her mouth to say something but he continues.

"Do you think it wise if we should travel back and forth each month?" he asks. "Which would mean that tomorrow we should be off to Tenebrae."

She is so touched by this suggestion that she can only whisper a response.

"You... you would do that?"

He looks determined as he looks into her eyes.

"I told you that I would do what you wanted, always," he reminds her. "That was not just something to say. It was my vow to you."

Within that moment, yet more of her heart was stolen from her and into the hands of the man staring so fixedly into her eyes.

"Thank you," is all she can breathe. She can feel the warmth of the tears building in her eyes and she smiles to convey her gratitude.

There is such warmth in the smile he gives her as his dark eyes seem to glow at her obvious happiness.

"Let today be a day, we free ourselves of our burdens," he says.

"Just you and I?" she asks hopefully.

She can see the understanding in his smile.

"I want to be where you are," he confesses easily and it means so much. He would go with her to Tenebrae, just as she would come here to Nihilsomno to be with him.

He does not take her hand, but she did not expect him to. Instead, they walk side by side out into the sun and onto the pavement outside the castle walls. She breathes out a sigh and know that it will be a perfect day. She was confident then, that no matter how long it took, they would accomplish what they needed to do. They only needed to be together.


	16. Infernus

**Prompt:** #10 Hell

**Summary:** The difference between slipping into the ground and slipping into your light is amazing, Love.

**A/N:** This is from the Adventum Aduro verse. The best line in this is from Keats.

Infernus is Latin for " being underneath" which is sometimes translated "hell".

_**Infernus**_

There is a silence that pervades this room. It is a different sort of silence than he is used to. So different, that it was almost foreign to one like him. There was no real silence in a city such as Nihilsomno. It being a busy metropolis whose citizens were afraid to sleep. At times, though, there was a quiet stillness during certain hours of the night. Yet, it was not quite the silence as he was feeling now. Before, when he needed a sort of quietness, he would escape to the temple of Etro. There, he would always find a sort of silence so that the only things he could hear were the silent hymns that whispered only within his ear. Quiet words spoken in a lyrical tone that told him stories to lull him towards dark, semi conscious dreams. It was there in the middle of wakefulness and sleep, that he would spend most of his nights. For he had never been able to truly sleep before. To sleep would have brought a peace that he had known he would never feel.

Before this all began, before the answers were found, before _her_, there had only been the hope that one day he would attain that blessed sleep and be buried within the ground. So that while he lie there, he could have been close to his parents again. Close to them within the peace only death could grant him. Close to them much longer then, than he had a chance to in life. It was with that secret wish that he had always gone to the goddess, Etro's temple so often. That was why he never felt ill at ease when within her walls. He avoided those halls that he remembers walking as a little boy, for those images would forever haunt him. So he had stayed within the chambers least disturbed to find his own sort of quiet.

Now, his desire has changed. No longer does he wish to be buried and asleep in that eternal peace. Now, he wanted to live. He wanted that living peace that he had not been granted before. What he had never thought to hope for before. They say to bury the past you much look forward to the future. He had lived so long with the darkness of his past that he never looked to the future for such brightness. His life had resembled that lone stretch of neglected highway in VallisAcerbis. The only glimmer of brightness in his dark world had been that day when he had resolved to save her. His resolve to do something good when all he had ever felt he had encompassed was evil. At first it had felt like he had been going against his very nature and then, then he realized that he would be the one to chose just what that nature was. He had seen someone more evil than himself and it had awakened him to the fact that the evilness he was sure he possessed was nothing to the evil that could be possible. It was that revelation that had him hoping for the first time. He had begun to hope in something more powerful than Fate, something more powerful than Irony and something more powerful than Fortune. He had left his mistress. He had left the lost. He had given up being the fool.

It seems impossible that he had changed his entire goal of life because of one person. That another living creature could change the course of his future. What power that was, to have such a magnitude on another living being's life. No matter that she had power that could only be compared to the sun that she represented. That was a power of a different sort. To him this power was more profound. Perhaps it was because this other power was over himself. To think that a figure so slight and a hand so soft, could bring him to his knees with a word or a smile. How hard was it to utter a word? How hard was it to fasten a smile? Both were effortless and easy. Yet, that was all it took. As powerful as he was, he was weak to those simple thing when they were supplied from her.

As a public and royal figure, he was often painted as the spoiled, self indulgent prince. Someone who never settled for second best. Well, he supposes in regards to her, he is just as they say. She was the one indulgence that he would not, he could not give up. In many other ways, he had not given much thought to such things. It could have been because he never cared to really consider them. With her, it had always been different. She had not only caught his eye, but she had caught his heart. She had filled his heart where he had been empty. There was a sort of peace in that. Only to realize that her heart was half given away in his absence. He only had a piece of hers when she had all of his. If he is honest, he will admit that even had he held her heart, he would not have been completely content. He wanted to possess her mind, as she was constantly within his. He wanted to possess all of her. He could not settle. He would have everything, because if not he would feel as if he had nothing at all. A glass half empty or half full was still only half. Half would never be whole. It was selfish and it was irrational, but he has always known that he was selfish. You did not tempt a desperate man. What he wanted with such desperation was something that almost made him wish he were under the ground. If he could but have it. If he could but have all of her as wholly as she had all of him. If he could not have her, he might as well have been in the ground. It would have been far better for him to have been buried along with his parents that day than to not have her now.

What was this softness in the air now? This tranquility that he does not remember ever experiencing before. This silent peace taking over his turbulent thoughts. Gone are the haunting lullabies of the times within Etro's hall. As he realizes this, he feels those chaotic thoughts subside. The desperation seems eased. The air, the feeling, the mood within the room did not allow his dark foreboding thoughts to interfere. Not when there was such a sight to be seen and a peace that permeated instead of fled from his grasp. It washes over him and he feels his mind easing. How could this comfort be achieved for one like him? His was not a mind to rest, but right now, it feels as if it is.

_You jumped. Why do you insist on going back?_

She was right. He had jumped and he had made it. Not only had he made it, she had chosen him over the other. She had chosen him even when it had been smarter and safer to choose the other. Sometimes he thinks his overwhelming need for her overshadows her own desires. He feels he wants her so desperately that she mistakes his longing for her own. That perhaps, he was controlling her in some way. It does not seem possible that she could crave him as much as he craves her. He did not consider himself very lovable. Despite the wish for it, it is hard to imagine. What a jumble of contradictions he was. Yet, within this still peace, there is no room for his usual guilt either. This blissful silence that he is enjoying could only be attributed to the sweet, fascinating creature that had been comfortable enough to sleep within his arms earlier. He looks over to her form in wonderment that she can sleep so pleasantly under his not so light gaze.

The day had been more than pleasant. So much so that he could see himself being content to fill his life with days like this. They did everything and nothing, but it did not really matter. What did matter was that he had spent it with her and he was the cause of the smile that graces her lips as she slumbers now. It had not really mattered to him what they had done. She had been restless, so he had opened up his schedule for the entire day to take her out. He does not even really remember what they had done specifically. Only the feelings he had during everything. It had been a simple outing with someone he so greatly cherished. The resulting effect it had on the both of them was far from simple. They had walked through the streets of his city aimlessly. He had enjoyed watching the excitement that had shone in her bright eyes through her dark sunglasses. More than once he had been tempted to touch her. His hands had actually begun to twitch from his want and had forced him to keep his hands inside his pockets instead.

The time had passed quickly and soon it had grown dark. She still had no desire to return and he had no desire to be away from her. So they had settled for more walking until they come across the building where they had met. She had entreated him to visit the observation deck. It looked to be a fine night, she had said. She had wanted to sit there and watch the stars and the Light with him. It would give him more chances to stare at her, so he had obliged. An impromptu picnic was soon set up for the both of them as they sat on the carpeted floor of the deck. He was relieved when he could finally see her hair again, once she had divested herself from the scarf she had cleverly wrapped around her head. Her ponytail was let down, freeing her hair for him to admire. He had missed the sight of them all throughout the day. She had looked a mixture of awe and amused when he had taken off his hat to reveal his ridiculously spiky hair. Some parts were flattened from the hat but it still stuck out. There had been temptation in her eyes to reach out and touch them. A temptation that looked to be as equal as his own was to run his fingers through hers. They spoke but their silences were comfortable as well. Then, she had fallen asleep with her head on his shoulder.

He could feel her warm breath beneath his shirt and it took a strength greater than his own to resist the urge to touch her face. After that night, when she had chosen him, he had tried to keep his touches to a minimum. He felt addicted to them and he knew that she would not appreciate just how much he liked to touch her. Nor just how much he wanted to always touch her. At first, he had waited until she would wake on her own, but after some time it was obvious that she was in a deep, sweet sleep. He had not the heart to wake her and he felt devious enough to take advantage of her unconsciousness. So he had opted to carry her gently within his arms and teleport them back to the castle. Once within her rooms, he had gently taken off her shoes and covered her carefully with the blankets. He had not been devious enough to take any liberties and had been very mindful of where his hands were placed.

Which brought him to the now. To someone who could not sleep, it was always fascinating to watch someone who could. He does not know how long he has been sitting in this chair and staring at her, but it must have been longer than he realized. The sun was soon to arise, though it was still dark outside. Creatures of the darkness always knew when the light was coming and so he knew too. He could not stay within this bubble of peace much longer but he had not the heart to leave just yet either. She would never know that he had spent the entire night watching her in silent yearning. The thought that he was a masochist went through his mind again as he fought the need. This was a torment, but he could not tear himself away from it. He went to it so willingly and left it so regretfully.

Watching her as he was, he felt she was more than a woman. She was something utterly divine. There was no other word for it. There was a holiness to the heart's affections and his heart was so full for her. That _must_ make her holy too. That _must_ make her divine. That _did_ make her the reason he was so glad, despite this agony of self denial, that he was not infernus.


	17. Scribo

**Prompt: **#39 Slash

**Summary: **Some things are mightier than the sword.

**A/N: **This is a stand alone.

Scribo is Latin for "to write, compose."

_**Scribo**_

As a fighter, he relied on his sword to get him through his battles. He depended on always having one with him. It was very convenient that his sword was not one that he had to carry all the time. His powers made sure to provide him with a large collection of swords, depending on his preference at any particular moment. This was especially useful since the majority of the time, he was attacked at inconvenient times. It was not to be believed that he was any less deadly without a sword, but he was just much more proficient with one in his hand. A sword in one's hand was a warning as well as a threat. One did not need to speak, but only had to have a firm grasp on the hilt of one to convey a very pointed message. That suited him very well considering he did not like to waste his breathe in verbally issuing any sort of warning. That always seemed rather stupid to him. The swords swirling around him like a tornado and the quick revying sound when he had selected one should be sufficient enough. One could call it part of the universal language. There was no mistaking his intentions.

When he was not in battle and when he was not putting up a façade to mask his true nature, he was shy. It was not that words did not come easily to him. He could find what he needed to say very effortlessly. It was that he was not used to showing people what he really was. Intimacy on any level with strangers always left him uneasy. At times, it was hard for even him to know the person that he was inside. So used to being someone else, it was sometimes difficult to separate the lie from the truth. The only times he felt like his own self was when he was with his friends. Only they knew who he really was and it was only with them that he could be that. Still, even with them, there were things that he could never share. The things that he could do. The power that he could wield. Those things were not things that they could ever truly understand about him. True, they had seen him in action many times. They had witnessed he fought countless times before, but they did not possess the same level of skill he was gifted with. They were more like observers than active sharers when it came to his gifts. It need also be brought out that he was also their prince. This too made him feel different from them. A little set apart, even though he hated to factor that in. There had never been anyone who could match him on either levels and so there was always something he needed to keep to himself.

It was not until he had met Stella, that he even felt the need to be himself with someone else. As soon as he had seen her it was as if something was falling into place. There was a curious rightness to her. He had tested her. It was something that he constantly needed to do and often did unconsciously. The results had been pleasant. She had surprised him. Unlike anyone else he had ever met, she was open and bright and playful. She was not shy and it was easy to get into a sort of banter with her. Though it had made him a little uncomfortable and a little uneasy when she so casually brought up seeing the light. He had hidden his surprise that she had even known about it, let alone could see it as he did. She had a carefree nature that he was not very used to but found refreshing.

From that very first encounter, he knew that their lives would be intertwined. He had been confident that not only would they meet again, they would come to mean something to each other. For the first time, he found himself looking forward to such a thing happening. The things that had happened between then and now were nothing short of trying. Simple attraction had turned into complicated emotions. The things that they had encountered. The things that they had been forced to do and lived through. Nothing between them was simple anymore. One thing was blatantly clear. Stella was the only person who could truly be his equal. If he had learned nothing else from the journey they had just endured, he had learned that. So, it would not be a surprise to find that he could not think of the right words that would fully emphasize what he wanted to say to her now. He had tried to speak to her many times already but he found the only words that ran through his mind were inadequate. He ended up having to leave her standing there with a confused expression on her lovely face.

When it came to fighting, he was focused and sure. There was no hesitation and there was no second guessing. He did what he needed to do and he was very good at it. There had not been a battle he had not eventually won. Fighting was not complicated. Fighting was very simple. With one slash of a sword, you could change everything. That was all there was to it. Finding the right words to say to Stella were not that simple. He was hesitating. He was second guessing. He was not very good at this. Where were those elaborate words and phrases that he as a Prince had been forced to learn from infancy? None of them sounded right. Some of them were just too flowery for his tastes. He merely wanted to convey a simple message. It needed to be simple when everything else around them was so complicated.

It seemed so far fetched in his warrior mind that a slash of his pen seemed to have more power than a slash of his sword. Speaking was proving too much of a difficulty, so he had decided he would write it down instead. A written note would not be fumbled and rushed and stuttered ineloquently. There would be no mistakes and no backing down once his words were expressed through his quill. When he was finished, he made sure to leave his note in a place easily found by only Stella. With this entire act, he thought it more terrifying than any battle that he had ever fought. A simple pen was his only weapon to deliver the blow.

Later, when Stella found the small note in her bag, the message within was simple, forward and it shot right to her heart. It consisted of only one line.

_I love you._


	18. Barathrum

**Prompt: **#11 Underground

**Summary: **Old habits die hard.

**A/N:** This takes place in the Noctum/Eclipse verse. This is after the Epilogue and before the events in Praestolatio Prestolatio.

Barathrum is Latin for "the Underworld".

_**Barathrum**_

"Luv, I cannot find Lunae."

When a mother says something like this, there is always a certain level of panic evident in her voice and in her face. They were not normal parents, so his wife was not a normal mother. When she uttered this statement to him earlier, she did not look at all panicked. There was some concern, yes, but nothing like one would imagine. It was not that she did not love their son. No, there were times he felt jealous at just how much affection was given to their son by his wife. Sometimes he was down right pouty about it. He could not help it. His wife was his source of love and comfort and her attention was now divided between himself and their son. It was hard to share the affection he had been neglected in youth. An easy solution to the irrational jealousy that sometimes flared inside him was to lavish their son with his own affections. He wonders, not for the first time, how he was going to share his wife with yet another addition to their family. So no, the lack of worry in his wife's tone was from a lack of concern. She had been looking for her son afterall.

"I will find him," was his immediate answer.

Her response had been to smile in thanks before giving him a kiss. A kiss that was shorter than he would have liked, but there had been a promise in her eyes that reassured him that he would have a more satisfying one once he brought their son back to her. With the glow of pregnancy surrounding her, she was such an enticing sight that she tempted him more now than she ever had before. It becomes more and more difficult to leave her every morning when she looks so aglow. The love they both had known would grow stronger still makes his heart tighten now. They were so in harmony now that to leave her was like leaving his life behind. Not just leaving a piece of himself behind, but his whole self. He knows he loves her more now than he did when he killed himself to join her. She feels the same because she had touched his face to soothe him and rubbed his nose with hers to distract him. Like it always did, a smirk appeared on his lips in response as they took a moment to embrace each other closely. A few shared breathes with their foreheads together was enough and after a very hard kiss of promise, he had left her to bring back their son.

While Stella was pregnant with Lunae, he and his brothers might have gone a little overboard with their security measures. Stella had laughed but had not put up any argument to their arrangements. He made sure to keep her very aware of everything that they had been putting together for the arrival of their first born. The castle was already a very foreboding place. After the adjustments, it was an impenetrable fortress. Servants were not replaced very often and he already knew every face that had permission to walk the halls. They had not installed cameras, but they had installed something more ingenious. Sensors had been placed in every corridor and in every room. Everyone who was allowed on the castle grounds had to be implanted with a small chip that would activate each sensor that they happened to pass. These chips were solely powered by his own Crystal's energy. Any unauthorized access would alert a select few. Depending on the security level of a certain area, he was not always informed of all these attempts. It was only when there was someone that did not belong anywhere near his wife or near their son, that he was alerted.

Those not embedded with the specialized chip did not go undetected either. He had, had more than enough time to train his senses to any presence that was not supposed to be there. Considering the fact that he could sense each of the Crystal Bearers at any given time, Sapien suggested he consider tracking those with none Crystal energies about them. Since we were all beings of energy, it was just a matter of switching his radar settings in a sense. It had taken a bit of training, but seeing as his range was only the width of the castle, it was not too difficult a task to master. Honing these skills and directly using his own Crystal energy to power the chips was a twofold achievement. The second being that since his energies were more spread out, he was in less danger of blowing up the entire city when he was having a bad day.

Tracking Lunae was as easy as finding his own way around the castle. The presence of his wife and his son was always hovering in the forefront of his mind. It did not even take any thought to find them when he needed to. When Stella had asked him to find their son, he had already known where Lunae was. She had known he would. Even though her senses were not as heightened as his were, she could always tell when their son was safe or when he was getting himself into trouble. When it was the latter, she need only alert him through their minds and he was there to prevent disaster. Disasters which were becoming more and more as Lunae got older. His son was brilliant, but he was too brilliant for one so young. The little prince was not even two yet. He hopes that he did not develop his teleporting skills before he could talk. There was no telling what that little rascal would do if he possessed that gift and possessed it too early. That is assuming, of course, that he would inherit that skill.

Instead of teleporting quick to Lunae's location, he decided to walk instead. When he had realized where his son was, he was surprised. The fear that his son _had_ developed his teleporting skills ran through his mind. Then he had realized who his son was with. One of the three who did not have a Crystal chip and would never need one. Which was why he was taking his time getting there. A smirk replaced the concerned frown and he allowed his mind to think back on times that seemed so long ago as he makes his way to join them. He soon found himself at an old entryway that he had not taken in a very long time and felt nostalgic. He had always felt old but now he felt positively ancient. He wondered what his brothers felt about that.

As he silently makes his way through familiar and dingy walls of stone, he begins to hear the echo of an equally familiar voice and the joyful laugh of his son. There is a following of delighted baby chatter and an older, amused chuckle. The sounds make him smile as he reaches the doorway. He can picture the scene just before he actually sees it.

Sapien was sitting in front of a computer with Lunae on his lap. Both were staring at something on the screen with equal interest. From his point of view, he could only see the back of the monitor that they sat in front of it. Sapien's face was contemplative while Lunae looked excited. They were so engrossed, they do not notice him standing there at first.

"Are you sure that one, Moonlight?" asks Sapien, looking down at the toddler in his lap.

"Yes!" cries Lunae as he points his little finger at the screen and like any toddler with a quick attention span, looks right at him then. "Papa!"

Sapien looks up quickly to see him as he stands and there is a peculiar expression that appears on his friend's face in reaction. He was familiar with it. It was an expression always on Des' face. It was just peculiar to see it on Sapien's face. He had the look of one being caught doing something wrong. It was enough to give him pause. Now, if it had been Des he would have been on alert. When Lunae wanted a partner to play a trick on, he knew to go to Des. If it had been Vires, he would not have been too surprised. The surprise would have been Vires actually on a computer when his scarred brother did not like them at all. Either scenario would have had him question the meaning of their guilty expression quickly. Since it was Sapien, he was almost confused.

"What plans of world domination are you both planning?" he asks lightly, responding to the bubbling laughter of his son.

"Papa look!" cries Lunae as he jumps in Sapien's lap.

He gives Sapien another quizzical look when it looks like he is half tempted to close whatever it was that the two of them had been looking at. The guilty look turns into a resigned look, before it goes back to his usual blankness as he sits back to let Noctis look at the image on the screen. There is a tension in Sapien's jaw that is the only indication that he is still uncharacteristically uncomfortable.

"That one!" shouts Lunae, drawing his attention away from his friend and he looks at the screen for the first time.

He frowns at what he sees. It was probably one of the last things he would have expected to see after witnessing Sapien's reaction. Well, he had not known what to expect at all but he is sure he would not have thought of this.

"That looks very beautiful, my son," he replies with an approving nod.

Lunae bounces in Sapien's lap with a smug look on his small face.

It must be a natural sense that young ones have. Lunae always knew when attention was not being paid to him and acted accordingly, depending on whatever his present mood was. Right now, he must want attention because he starts twisting his little body to turn around and look at Sapien's face. His son has that mischievous look in his eye that they all knew led to trouble. Especially when he was notorious for one bit of trouble that always had Sapien as the victim.

"Lunae," he says in warning.

It only puts a goofy grin on the toddler's face. It is clear what his intent is as he continues to eye Sapien's face.

"Are you sure you want to do that?" Sapien asks with the customary challenging look that is not very challenging at all. If Noctis could describe it in it a word, it would be indulgent. He knows Sapien would not object either way. Even though it was very inconvenient for him.

Lunae cries out in laughter at the look before babbling back in his baby speech.

"What would your mother think?" he asks in a shocked tone.

It receives a startled gasp from the tiny man and he watches as a duplicate copy of his own eyes stare up at him.

"Mama no," whispers Lunae loudly and the little one sobers. It saves Sapien another pair of glasses from falling victim to Lunae's unforgiving little hands.

"Your mother is looking for you, Little One," he says. "Let us go see her, shall we?"

He opens his arms in offering and the little bundle of black spiky hair reaches up to be lifted into his arms. He feels tony hands grab the collar of his jacket as the toddler turns to look back down at Sapien.

"Come Sailin'," says the little voice.

"Of course, my liege," replies Sapien, shutting off the computer and standing up to follow them.

"I did not know you still came down here," he says.

"When I don't want to be bothered," Sapien answers with a nod.

The three of them walk out of their childhood abode. They had spent so much time down here, in their own underground world as boys. Now, they never seemed to have time to come all together.

"Do the others?" he cannot help but ask.

"I am usually alone," is the answer. Which meant that Sapien had been the only one who had not broken the habit of coming here whenever he wanted to be alone. He wonders just how often his friend came down here by himself.

"It has been awhile," he says, leaving the end of the sentence unfinished. He finds he misses this place. It held all the better memories of their childhood.

"It has," agrees Sapien. "It's the only place I don't get reception."

The ever present handheld was brought out once again. He believes the lack of reception. Their underground hideaway was too deeply within the ground to get any sort of signal. It was why it was so close to the dungeons. As they walk, Lunae passes the time with the occasional tugs on his anatomy and singing with lyrics only babies can understand. It is once he feels Sapien has gotten into his silent musings that he speaks again.

"Are you going to tell me why you and Lunae were picking out Glacialis statues?"

Perhaps Vires would have blushed. Des would have been bashful. Sapien merely looks him in the eye and in his usual dry tone, says no.


	19. Monstrum

**Prompt:** #11 Monster

**Summary:** It is not only the creatures in the dark that you need to be afraid of.

**A/N:** This is a continuation the Adventum Aduro verse.

Monstrum is Latin for "monster".

_**Monstrum**_

The frustration threatened to boil out of her and she could barely contain the scream that was caught in her throat. Never had there been a time that she felt more self loathing than she did at that moment. She could almost press her hands so forcefully against her eyes that she would crush them to prevent them from ever betraying her again. This was just, unacceptable, foolish, weak. What would have been a moment to prove her strength and acceptance, had only proven how useless she really was. She wishes she could just erase the memory from both their minds. She wishes that she could take back that moment. She wishes that she had never been born! A split moment of unconscious reaction was going to cost her everything. What killed her, what absolutely wretched her heart out of her chest, was that he would never blame her for it. He would never even be upset with her for what she had done. He would understand which made it that much worse. She knew that he would never hold it against her. He would make excuses for her when she did not deserve them.

Think. Think. She needed to think about what she was going to do. There was no way that she was going to live through his ill focused guilt again. She needed to do something. How did one go about undoing damage that was unfixable? No, she could not be so bleak. It was not in her make up to look on things so negatively. She was not going to start now. The self deprivation would have to wait for a later time. There would be plenty of time for that later, when she was alone and after he understood. Right now, she had to put all her mind and efforts into damage control. The only comfort she can give herself is the knowledge that he would not avoid her. He was too noble to leave her, even though it probably pained him to even think of looking at her now.

Was all this mental anguish even healthy? What kind of a relationship could they establish if they were constantly tip toeing around each other? Always being so careful around each other. This was destructive, not productive. She did not like that. This was not the type of love that she wanted. This was not what she had envisioned her future would be like. It all seemed to be wrong. She and Noctis were constantly at odds with each other. Neither one of them could accept that they were equal to the other. So it was a constant battle of emotions. Things went from extreme highs to extreme lows so easily. It made everything that much more worse that they needed each other regardless. They were stuck so that they had no choice but to face it. Avoidance was not an option. It was not just about their own feelings here. What happened between them would effect the entire planet. If they could not become a solid pair, there was no hope of activating the Crystals. More was at risk here than her heart. She could recover given enough time, but it was not just her heart at stake and that was the problem.

Like a prelude of what was to come, the day had not started out very well. She had awoken to a bright day after such a wonderful outing with Noctis. The last thing she remembered was laying her head upon his shoulder and letting the calm, steady beat of his heart lull her into slumber. He must have carried her back to her rooms, but the thought did not make her as happy as one would think. She had not been able to take advantage of that contact. It had been a great opportunity and she had missed it. He had not been there when she opened her eyes, but she had felt a lingering trace of his presence. She had known that she had just missed him as he left her. Which meant that he had stayed all through the night and watched her. She would have felt content had he stayed until she could see him. The image of his face greeting her when she opened her eyes in the morning was bliss. With his lack of physical presence, she had only the whiff of his scent in the air. The resulting emptiness could be likened to an addict denied his fix. That had been her and the entire morning was spent in half awareness as everyone assembled to see her and Noctis off to Tenebrae.

It was only when she had seen him and felt his presence just beside her, that she felt settled again. Her previous withdrawal had been appeased. She had looked up into his face and could not help but smile. A warmth had spread through her chest when he had returned it. If his smirks had the ability to move her, his smiles could knock her completely off her feet. The only thing that had been missing was the touch of his hand seizing hers. That would have completed the feeling. She had found herself actually swaying in an attempt to be closer to him and was almost leaning into him by the end. The need to be close to him had been strong. The want for him to touch her as he had too briefly and too sparsely before was mounting. It was a tension that felt as bitter as it felt sweet. The expectation was a thrill through her entire body as they stood looking at each other.

After fond but brief good byes, they had boarded the airship together. Once aboard and in the air, they had walked about the ship side by side until they had found themselves on the flight deck. The conversation between them had been a light banter while exchanging flirty glances. Her glances were flirty at least. His were those fierce, penetrating stares that always had her questioning how he could always have so much restraint. He wanted to touch her as much as she wanted to be touched by him. Why he could not see that whenever he looked so deeply into her eyes was confusing.

It was when they were at the halfway mark above VallisAcerbis that things plummeted. Plummeted in both a physical and metaphorical sense. They had seen the threat at the same time, though he had actually felt it first. A monster. A very big one that had been in mid action when they had caught sight of it too late. They instantly reacted. The pilot had dipped into a very steep dive to avoid the boulder that was vaulted towards them a second later. She heard Noctis shout an order to the pilot before disappearing and she teleported right after him when he appeared on the ground to face the beast. He had been wise enough not to try and be a lone hero and had accepted her help with nothing more than a silent nod. If anything, it had looked like he had been proud of her for being there beside him. This was a chance to show just how compatible they really were.

So they had fought together and did very well. It was a heavily armored thing with a hide that could not be penetrated. After a few strategic attacks, they had spotted the thing's weakness in the area around its heart. With a nod to him, she had maneuvered herself to its grotesque face and pierced solidly through its eye. The resulting reaction threw her off its head while it jerked its body violently in pain. Instead of stabbing the exposed chest as he was supposed to, Noctis had saved her from the clutches of those massive thrashing limbs. One of which would have crushed her as she continued to fall had not Noctis placed himself between her and it. The force of the severe blow on his back flung him towards her and he had crashed, bodily into her.

Catching him within her arms, she had teleported the both of them to the ground. His weight had them stumbling onto the sand together. Terror had seized her when she saw his thick blood staining the sands beneath him. His eyes had been closed and within that quick moment of panic, she had not even rationalized that he could just be unconscious. There was no time for anything except the cry that flew from her mouth as she looked down at his blank face. The beast had roared a raging retribution for the loss of its eye and she could do no more for Noctis. She had been steering herself to finish this fight alone and had stood to face it when she felt Noctis' presence behind her. It was like he had magically appeared on his feet and before she could even turn around and look at him, he had stepped in front of her. Her eyes saw the outline of his spiky hair and the insignia emblazoned on the back of his leather jacket before he was in action.

The battle between man and monster was vicious. There was a power around Noctis that had every hair on her body stand on end. It was no quick pinch this time. It had felt more like someone had lightning straight into her chest, creating an almost static fire to race through her body. The breath was knocked out of her lungs as her limbs stiffened. Her skin had felt like there were sparks threatening to catch her entire body on fire and its color began to change. For a moment, she almost felt detached from her body as she saw the color of her skin change to a bright yellow before it started to morph. It grew to an almost dark glowing orange when it retracted. Just like that, her skin was back to its usual pale color and the bolt of electricity within her chest retreated. All this happened the instant Noctis reappeared just before her with his front still facing the massive body of their foe. A foe, that as she had watched over his shoulder, was falling to the ground before landing with a quaking thud. The shake had been enough to unbalance her already unsteady legs and she had crumbled to the sand. The shock of her fall reminded her that she needed to breathe. The beating of her heart had never felt that fast and she had been shaking uncontrollably as her body went into shock.

It was only once he had waited a moment to confirm his kill that he had slowly turned around to look at her. Cal had told her about the time he had seen Noctis in battle during their travels together. His description of how Noctis had looked had always seemed exaggerated by Cal's usual enthusiasm. Cal had a habit of blowing things out of proportion. She had never appeared that way, even after an especially difficult exertion of her powers. Her cousin had said that the color of Noctis eyes had changed to a blood red. His face, though unchanged, had somehow seemed distorted as an outline or silhouette had hovered over his features. Cal had never been able to describe it other than to say it looked like an apparition of sorts. She knew now that he had not been exaggerating. He had actually not even been able to touch a fraction of what she had seen in Noctis at that moment. It had been horrifying and beautiful and it had overwhelmed her with its appeal. Something inside herself wanted to be close to whatever it was that hovered just above his face, like she always wanted to be close to him. Desires already present, were doubled.

The cry that had escaped her lips in reaction to the picture that Noctis had made was completely misunderstood. Her breathe had still not recovered and her body had still been in the throes of trembling shock. So when he had reached out to her, she had fallen back. The sparking electricity had shot through her again at his actions had pushed her back. Her mouth went dry and no words could escape it's depth. His black gloved hand had stopped halfway from reaching her face before he had recoiled. The tormented look of agony that had flashed from those red eyes showed just how damaging her reaction had been. With a blink of those eyes, the red was retreated back to blue and it looked as if the weight of the world crashed onto him as he collapsed a few feet away from her.

It was another moment before her senses came back to her and she had finally managed to stop shaking. As soon as she could, she staggered towards him. She was not sure what she had wanted to say or what she was going to do. All she knew was that she had to make him understand that she had not been cringing away from him on purpose. She knew that he must have thought she found him repulsive. It was another moment before she realized the blurriness in her vision were her tears as she wept her apology. All for naught. His eyes were closed once again, finally succumbing to unconsciousness. The sand he laid upon clumped with the thickness of his blood and she is not sure what she would have done if she had not heard the sounds of the hovering airship above them. With one defiant burst of energy, she had teleported them directly into the little infirmary before she fell back and joined him in that void of sleep.

When she regained consciousness, it was within her own bed within her own rooms in Tenebrae. The first thing she did was fly off the bed and demand to know where Lord Noctis was. Only to be told that he had recovered and had disappeared. She knew he would not stay away for long, so that was not what worried her now. It was the reason behind his need to disappear that had her pacing her rooms like a caged animal with the temptation of bashing her own head in. Noctis always claimed to be a creature of evil that other evils hide from in the dark. He confessed this as if he were some monster that you should run from in terror. What did that make her then? If he was what evils ran from in the dark, that meant that she was something worse than a monster. She must be, because it was her that had _him _hiding now.


	20. Curvus

**Prompt:** #18 Bent

**Summary:** If you look close enough, you will realize that we are all a little bent.

**A/N:** This is a stand alone.

Curvus is Latin for "bent, crooked".

_**Curvus**_

There are things that start out straight. It does not take a genius to realize that the shortest distance between two points was a straight line. That was logical and completely reasonable. It was just that, most things in life were curved. There was always that bend in the road where it forks off into different directions. There were barriers that forced you to take detours. Such detours often took you to places you never imagined you would go. It was during one of these detours that he had veered completely off his once straight and narrow path. Once that happened, once there was that bend in the road, there was nothing you could do to make it straight again. The path would forever be tainted and you would always find delay.

Once something was bent, there was no way to make it straight again. He had learned this fairly early on in his life. The first sword that he had caused to appear had been one with a thin blade. It was light enough so his small arm could lift it easily and he had cherished it. It had been beautiful and he had spent many hours shining and sharpening the edges to maintain its loveliness. The beauty it held in his eyes was later altered when one day he had missed his opponent and ended up slamming the entire blade against a sharp edge of marble. After the jarring shaking in his shoulders had subsided, he found his precious sword had been dented. No matter how smooth he tried to make it afterwards, it never again retained that perfection that it once had. After awhile it became clear that he could no longer even use it. It was then that another sword had appeared for his use. This time, it had been broad and not so easily disfigured. He learned two things then. The first having already been mentioned and the second, that he would never let himself become that angry during a battle again. If it had not been for his emotions, he would have never damaged his sword in the first place.

This rule also applied to a great many things. A broken feather quill could not be repaired, it could only be replaced. A chip in a stone statue could never be reattached once it had fallen. A drop of blood that escaped your skin, could never be welcomed back into your body. Some things just could not be put back together. The best you could hope for was to find something to replace it with.

He feels like that now. The weariness within his bones was so acute that it felt like they were crooked. He felt as if he was the one that was bent. The resulting effects of his long and arduous journey were taking its toll not only on his body but on his spirit. He wonders if there had ever been a time when he had been straight. A time when he had been perfect. Maybe it was when he was younger. Back when he was a child, things had seemed perfect. He remembers being happy then. Things could have been considered straight and good and pure then. After the trials he has just been through he feels dented, bad and tainted. Now, the only thing that was left to do was to replace him. That was the only option because he knows he can never be fixed now. He had strayed too far and taken too many winding roads instead of sticking the course. The person that he was now could never be straightened.

"Don't even think about it," he hears behind him, breaking through his musings.

Despite how exhausted he feels, he has enough inside him to smirk. He listens to the sound of a body lower itself to join him as he sits here on the ledge of a towering building. Their legs dangle precariously over the edge as they take in the sights of the city below them.

"What am I thinking?" he asks, without turning his head.

"If you jumped, your survival instinct would only kick in and save you," is the response.

"My need to survive is not like yours," he answers honestly.

"Then that means that I would have to save you from yourself if you did."

The answer causes him to look over at her and he immediately wishes that he had not. Looking at her always seemed to distract him. Especially when she is smiling the way she is now. The chilly night air is blowing strands of her blond hair across her face and he does not even hesitate to reach out and brush them away for her to tuck them behind her ear. She was something otherworldly to him. He is not sure what he had done to deserve her in his life during this journey. The things that she had willingly done for his sake. While he had been broken and out of shape, she had always remained whole and perfect. His imperfections were dark contrasts while hers only made her look more perfect to him. She was the exception to the rule.

"Both of us surviving what we just finished only to die by gravity," he muses, leaning back and giving her a long look.

She smiles back at him as she tilts her head.

"We have already seen worse ways to die," she replies.

That they had. The mental images of those ways were enough to convince anyone that he was anything from innocent.

"But I think dying without you would be the worst," she finishes and his entire body jerks as he looks back at her.

That statement from any other woman would have made him scoff. There was no way any of them could imagine the different ways people could die. It would only end up sounding like some overly dramatic, blindly uttered vow of misplaced devotion. The fact that it was Stella saying this, he could not even think to scoff. His mind could not think of a word to describe his feelings to this.

"Living with me would be a fate worse than dying," he says. This was true too. He attracted trouble and his life was chaos defined. He leans into her face as if in silent challenge.

"I have survived so far," she replies seriously and she emphasizes this by leaning into him too. "Life without you would be wrong." Her hand reaches up to caress his jaw.

"Even as misshapen as I am?" he asks, his tone hopeful.

She brings her face closer so that her lips are hovering just below his.

"Yes," she whispers before his lips are crushing hers.


	21. Exoro

**Prompt:** #42 Prevail

**Summary:** You just have to use your powers of persuasion.

**A/N:** This continues the Noctum/Eclipse series.

Exoro is Latin for "to prevail upon a person; entreat successfully".

_**Exoro**_

It was one of the few times that they had actually been at odds with each other. She knew that he could be stubborn and it was definitely in effect now. Normally, she would have just looked past it. In many things she was a very malleable sort of person. She knew all about compromise and yielding when it was necessary. It was just that she could not back down from this, no matter how much he tried to persuade her otherwise. She was determined to have her way. Now, it was very sweet of him to be so thoughtful of her reputation but he needed to realize that he had no reason to worry. The reputation he thought he was protecting by resisting her request was unfounded. If anything, he might damage it with his refusal. She had already established that there would be no other man for her but him, ever. She would like to think that he felt the same way. He did feel the same way, she was sure of it. It could not have been something that he would have hidden from her all this time. Not when he had already told her that there was nothing about her that he would find insufficient.

Thinking of it that way, he had not said that he thought they had a permanent relationship either. He had merely been telling her that despite the misunderstanding from before, he did find her more than suitable. It had been the scar he had given her that had made him look at her so regretfully and not about anything he thought she was lacking. That was a little different from saying that he thought that they were going to always be together, though. That did not tell her that he had any intention of marrying her eventually either. Eventually being the keyword. They were not ready to make such a commitment right now anyway. All it really said was that he found her attractive. Which did not help matters at all because now she felt almost upset at their lack of title. It made her question whether he was even thinking about something like that. To ask him, would probably be a disaster. Noctis did not seem to be the sort of man that a woman could make such demands from. Was she even important enough to him to ask such a thing anyway? She was almost horrified to realize that she did not know the answer to that. Of course she was important in a way, he had said he was falling in love with her. She was also a Crystal Bearer, which made her all the more vital to him. It just did not tell her if she was as imperative to him as he was to her. His importance in her life had nothing to do with his powers or his kingdom. It had everything to do with who he was as an individual, not what he was and it hurt to think that he might not share those feelings.

These thoughts would really get her no where but of course, once they had entered her mind she was enslaved by them. It was not fair for her to even think such things. Their relationship was new and tentative and to begin making such demands so early on would scare any hot blooded young man, let alone Noctis. That was not entirely true though. They were not normal people so their ideas of courtship were not at the pace of anyone else. A royal did not date just anyone and they did not date just to date. When a royal courted, they were meaning to marry. That was just the way things worked for them. They did not have the luxury of having countless ex boyfriends because they were not allowed to have them. Maybe it was just an old Tenebrae custom though. Maybe the royalty in Nihil were more up to date in the ethics of dating. This was all new to her. She felt like such a novice and so naïve. It seemed incredibly benign to say that Noctis was simply her boyfriend, but what other term could she give him? 'Her Intended' seemed too presumptuous.

Stella startles with a gasp. She was turning into one of _those_ kinds of women. The ones that get completely irrational when it came to their relationships. The ones that make unrealistic demands from their significant others. She knew that Noctis had special feelings for her. He loved her, even though he had not said it. Though silly, he had her best intentions at heart by refusing her request. She was the one just being ridiculous. It was the stress. That was what was to blame here. It had her emotions frayed and out of sorts. She needed to talk to Noctis but she needed to speak to him with a calm demeanor and not the screeching banchee that she was tempted to be. That would probably not be conducive to getting him to do what she wanted. She needed to be rational, not emotional if she was to entreat him successfully.

Taking a long breath, she feels more like herself. Momentary lapse of control and now she was back to her cheerful self.

"You wanted to see me, Stella?"

The voice makes her jump and an undignified squeak escapes her lips before she turns around to see the very subject of her thoughts standing just before her. He looks a little wary and he would, her note asking for him was not particularly friendly. She can feel his wariness mixed in with a general contentment at being with her. This newfound level of comfort between them is something that she cherishes when she knows he is not comfortable with just anyone. It makes her feel embarrassed by her hormone triggered irrationality from before.

"I, I apologize for the curtness of my message," she says.

"I know we are at odds," he says neutrally, with a nod. "But I did not come here to fight."

"I did not ask you to for that either," she answers. "Not now anyway."

"But you did before?" he asks and there is a slight teasing note to his voice that makes her smile.

"Yes," she admits with a nod. "But I realize that I was being too pushy."

He raises an eyebrow at the adjective.

"How are you being now?" he asks, intrigued. The teasing note was blatant now.

"Determined," she amends. "I shall prevail in my request."

Another man probably would have sighed in that long suffering way and might have even taken a step back to steel himself for the upcoming argument, but not Noctis. He merely steps closer to her instead.

"Could you not just understand my reasons?" he asks. He looks down and takes her hand in his.

"You need to understand mine," she says firmly. "This is my coronation. I must show my people what we are."

He brings her hand up to weave his fingers through hers.

"They already know," he says.

That they did. They had never tried to hide their budding relationship, no matter that she did not know what it was exactly.

"Are you embarrassed of me?" she teases, solely to get a reaction out of him.

He frowns. "I would think it was you who would be embarrassed to be attached to me."

She was not expecting that.

"What do you mean?"

"I am the playboy prince of Nihilsomno," he claims. "There have been many a lady that has had the pleasure of my company. You are the bright star of your nation. The pure jewel of your kingdom and you want me to be by your side when you are appointed Queen. It would taint you."

"It would only taint me if you had no intentions to marry me," she says boldly. She watches his face carefully for any flicker of panic at the suggestion but there are none. If anything, he looked as if he was weighing his next words carefully.

She is not sure what she expects him to say but she is almost relieved to get it out in the open.

"Then I shall be by your side when you are rightly appointed Queen," he accepts finally. He brings their joined hands to his lips and presses a lingering kiss of promise to her palm.

It was not a direct response to her veiled question, but it was enough. Noctis was blunt and forward about a lot of things but he was also very vague with things that were closest to his heart. He was not a man who liked to wear his heart on his sleeve and be vulnerable. Getting him to admit that he was starting to feel anything romantic for her had been a challenge. The fact that he was here, kissing her hand and pulling her close was a testament to the fact that his feelings for her were deep. That he did intend to marry her. It gave her hope that one day, he would himself to her more and have no reservations about his feelings. This would not happen immediately but she had a reason to believe that one day, he would trust her enough to tell her anything. She had no reason to be unhappy now. He was complying with her wish and it made her glad that she had prevailed. Now she almost feels as if she could fly from how her heart was soaring. Perhaps deeming him, Her Intended, was not so presumptuous after all.


	22. Templum

**Prompt:** #3 Sanctuary

**Summary:** Such moments, however few, should be cherished enough to last a lifetime.

**A/N:** This expands the Eclipse Series.

Templum is Latin for "Sanctuary".

_**Templum**_

Sunlight glistens through as the leaves above them softly sway. Those beams of light that shine from above, warm their skin with a sun kissed tan. A gentle breeze creates a natural melody that can find no duplication. This combined with the shade offered from the towering trees, create a canopy of tranquility. It soothes a heat that would otherwise be oppressive. The foliage is vibrant. Blades of thick, luscious grass flow with the winds, creating endless waves of various shades of green. Birds sing as they dance through the air, while the occasional buzzing of a bee passes the ear. Within the distance are a scattering of many healthy puffs of white clouds and the sky has seldom been this blue. The only foreign disturbances were the occasional, far away sounds of a hovering airship passing quickly through the skies. Otherwise, it is only the sights and scents of a simple summer afternoon that surround them as they lay here. It was a beautiful day.

This is the one place they can find such a reprieve. The one place they can leave troubles and duty behind them. Here there is only them. They filled the existence together. This is where their children can be enjoy their youth to the full and play freely. There are no restrictions and codes to follow here. No decorum that must be met in front of the eyes of his many opposers. Their eyes cannot reach this place. They would never be able to appreciate this anyway. Laughter and joy so seldom heard before made them uneasy when they now filled the dark hallways of the castle back in Nihilsomno. They carry here in the richness of this field. Here, within the private sanctuary of the country, can the sounds of his children's laughter add to the soundtrack of the day without disapproval.

This is so very different from the days of his own childhood. He does not remember ever being so free. Always ever mindful was how his days had been. If he thinks back long enough and hard enough, he can vaguely remember moments of easy laughter with his parents. They had tried to make their brief time together happy. For they had always known their time together would be short and he cannot imagine how they must have felt knowing that. Now that he is a father he can understand and he is thankful. He feels no such limitations with his young ones. He does not worry about living too short a time with his wife. If they only had but two more days such as today, he would have considered them a lifetime's worth of delight. They would more than suffice, even if he should die too soon. He would not feel cheated. He would be well satisfied. Someone long denied such things learned how to cherish such joys...and what joys they were. What man could not find such happiness when he was here, within this moment as he was.

"What are you thinking about?" asks a sweet voice near his ear. The absent strokes of her tender hand causes him to sigh as they run through his hair. He feels the touch of her lips against his brow. There is a smile there that matches his own as they watch their children play together. He is laying his head against her soft bosom and she cradles him as they lounge wistfully on a picnic blanket. Both watch keenly as their children gather flowers.

"That I am here, pillowed upon my love's ripening breast. Wanting forever to feel its soft swell and fall beneath my cheek, remaining forever awake in this sweet unrest. Just so that I could hear her tender taken breath," he says in a sigh. He entwines their free hands and hold them close. "As I watch our joys as they play so merrily in the fields. Within this day, I could live eternally or til my death."

He feels her clutch his head closer to her breast and he knows that she feels the same.

"Shall we awake to find this was all a dream?"

"We have so many attachments to the world outside," he says almost regretfully. "But within this one, this is a world of our own invention. The world where only we live."

"The world where no outside forces can intrude," she agrees.

He brings her hand to his lips for a kiss, before clutching it to his heart once again.

"Do you mind it?"

"Mind what?" she asks.

"That you, Bright Star, are no longer alone in your splendor in my night sky?"

"Why should I mind?" she asks with a hint of a smile. "I share the glory with my own."

"You may not, but I do," he says reproachfully.

"You do?" she sounds surprised.

"Yes," he confirms. "Before you were all mine and there was no need to share. Now, I must share you in three parts."

She chuckles a quiet laugh into his hair and he feels her bestow another kiss on his head.

"Would you ease my mind?" he asks pensively.

"How shall I do that, my Lord?" she asks indulgently.

"Would you confess that they were not equal parts?" he asks, tilting his head up to look at her face.

It is an unfair question but he does not care about showing just how unwilling he was to share her. To pacify him, she seems to muse over it for a moment.

"There really is no divide," she says finally, twisting to look down at him. What she should tell him is to grow up and not be such a pouty child about this, but he knows that she did not have it in her to be so mean. "Loving them is loving a piece of you and you know I love you wholly."

Yes, she was right of course. Their children were products of their union. To love one without loving the other seemed unreasonable. Were it not for the two of them together, they could have not produced the two joys they were watching so adoringly before them now.

"Perhaps I should have just kept it simple," he says, settling himself against her breast again. He can feel her smile as she waits for him to continue. "I mind that I must share your attention in three parts."

She laughs out loud at that, causing the two little ones to stop in their play and look over at them.

Lumina's long blonde ringlets bounce around her small chubby cheeks as she looks up at her older brother. They both seem to come to a decision as they approach their parents together. Both of their clothes are slightly grass stained as they walk hand in hand to reach their parents. It is evidence of how long they have been allowed to run wild and it makes him smile. Lumina crawls onto the picnic blanket and moves directly to her father while Lunae walks to sit on the other side of his mother.

"Papa," she cries, propping herself onto his stomach and thrusts a tangle of lilies onto his chest. She mumbles in her charming baby speech, obviously trying to explain the situation.

"She does not know how to tie them," explains Lunae for her. At almost four years of age, he already spoke better than most adults did. He watches as his eldest gets his hair ruffled affectionately by his mother. His hair is just as unruly as his own.

"Are these for your mother, Sunshine?" he asks the one who he considers the jewel of his life.

There was not a day that went by where he did not look at her and marvel at the beauty that he had helped create. Her entrance into the world had probably taken years off his life, but in the end she had been worth it. Before, he thought he would never know the love of another. Now, he had not only the love of his wife, he had the love of his children. Theirs was such a blinding love and devotion that was so lost in their world that he grieved its extinction. Everyone should feel such love and receive it in return. He loved them both equally but there was a special affection for his little star. This sweet creature who had so much of her mother and little bit of him too. She brought about a perfect balance with beside her older brother.

"Yes," she answers, reaching over to grasp a small lily in her tiny hands.

His response is delayed when she begins to swipe at his face with the miniature blossom.

"Mina stop it," chides Lunae. "You do not do such things to, Father."

"Yes, it is rather hard to answer you when you are doing that," he adds, pushing her small hands away. "Well then, you came to the right person if you are interested in tying these blossoms, my Loves," he answers, sitting up with the small assortment in one hand while reaching over and lifting her with the other. When she clutches the lapel of his jacket so trustingly, he is humbled and thankful to have such blessings. "How about the two of you pick the prettiest ones and I will do the rest?"

Lumina waves her hands in excitement, accidentally slapping his chin lightly in the process, before pointing to the area of the field she wants him to take her.

"Come along, Lunae," he says, rising to stand on his feet. "Our princess has given us directions."

"Coming, Father," is the answer below him.

"It is a good thing I do not mind your attention being divided in three parts," teases his wife, who is now sitting by herself on the blanket.

"You do not have to, Bright Star," he says, glancing back at her. "Because all three of us will always be thinking of you."

It would be the perfect end to a perfect afternoon. He knew that these memories being made today would forever be engrained into his mind. These listless times of simple joys. Within this sanctuary was his reality, the rest, was the dream.


	23. Prodigium

**Prompt: **#34 Unnatural

**Summary: **It seemed like going against nature to be like this.

**A/N: **This follows the Adventum Aduro verse and is after the events in Monstrum (Chapter 19 of this series).

Prodigium is Latin for "monster, unnatural thing".

_**Prodigium**_

It seems it was to be a silent battle of wills. Her will against his. He would not broach the subject and he would not her do it either. So she settled for silently challenging him now, whenever they were in proximity to each other. It suited her purposes perfectly that they were constantly in the presence of the other. The tension felt tenfold to the one that had been there before. Only, it was no longer delicious. Now it was a burning sensation that threatened to explode from inside her. A not so very pleasant sensation either. This time, it was not just the tension of wanting to be touched. There was the added tension of being forced to back away when one clearly wanted to be closer. This was a forced exiling. What made it all the more torturous was that it was not even verbally requested. He never said to stay away from him. He did not have to. Not that she would have complied if he had anyway, but it made the difference that he had not voiced it. Neither one of them have crossed the threshold so far. She would have had he not put a barrier between them. Not a physical barrier either. This was an invisible barrier that forced her to keep her distance and her retaliation was to make him come to her. Hence, the ongoing battle of wills.

Pleading with him using pretty words would not suffice. That was blatantly obvious and she would not even try that. It may have worked before but when one was dealing with someone as complex as Noctis, one had to constantly change their strategy to keep him off guard. He was far too intelligent to believe the same thing twice. No matter that it was the truth. It was clear that he had settled in his mind that he was the monster and she was the embodiment of purity. She had come to the conclusion, during this long two weeks of silent battle, that he nor she were monsters at all. The monster was this. This separation, this barrier between them that was keeping them from each other. The void between them was the unnatural thing that should not be there. There were forces at work here that were trying to keep them apart and she can see that at last. She knows not what they are or what their intentions but she was wise to their scheme. Now it was just a matter of making Noctis see this with her.

Most of their time together was spent in the company of others. This would not have bothered her too much, since it was almost a requirement considering her councilmen were still wary of Nihilsomno and Noctis most of all, if she had not known that he did it on purpose. The presence of another person prevented them the luxury of engaging in the private conversation that they needed to have. He was clever. So she had to be more clever. She just needed to make more room in her mind to be. The duties she had been forced to neglect in her absence had been numerous and she had no choice but to focus all her facilities on getting them done upon her return. Her kingdom had to come first, as his always came first to him, but he was important to her too.

One would not have even suspected there was anything amiss at the beginning. His face was always pleasant and cordial. His voice was always accommodating. His demeanor was always engaging. There had been a couple times where he had even offered his arm to her when she needed to be escorted. Only he made sure to carefully maneuver her so that she did not have to touch him anymore than was necessary. It made her heartache for his sake. As if he accepted that she would be disgusted with his closeness and was trying to show her that he understood why she would feel so. He was being understanding when he had completely misread her. Now he was putting up that different kind of distance. One where they were close but worlds apart. Maybe if she were more submissive like she used to be she would respect this and step away. Which would only leave her feeling hurt and crying by herself in the darkness of her room. She was not that person anymore. She could not afford to be. Five years of being without him, only to lose him again. She was not going to let that happen.

Since verbal conversations were always so strategically restricted, she did what she could by way of physical communication. She had recently taken to grasping onto his arm more fully and when she could get away with it, she would even lean into him. His entire body would go rigid each time she did this but he could not push her away without being obvious. Especially when she was becoming very good at feigning innocence when she did this as he seemed to have already mastered. It was not until the night before that she was able to take advantage of a brief moment and had raised herself up so that her lips could whisper heatedly in his ear.

"I will never run from you."

His head had turned to her so quickly that the tips of his hair had brushed against her mouth. He had given her no verbal reply but his eye had said much. There had been shock first. It was followed by confusion. Then it had ended with denial. She had expected this and in that order. It had been simple and to the point. She knew that he would obsess over her choice of words over and over in his head. Everything about it had been calculated, from the heated moisture of her breathe to the promise it implied. Those details would not be lost on him and she knew that she had unbalanced him. He needed to be unbalanced. They needed to overcome these insecurities.

"I don't know what is going on, Stell," says Cal, as he sits on the couch across from her. "From the looks, I really don't wanna know. But you guys are worse than two bunnies in Spring heat."

"We are not shagging," she retorts with a roll of her eyes. The utter crassness of her cousin's accusation was proof of how exasperated he was. He tended to get very descriptively crude when he was frustrated.

"Maybe you need to," he comments, none too delicately.

She rolls her eyes again. Yes, her cousin was definitely frustrated with her antics with Noctis. It was not any where near the level of her own frustrations, but she could understand how awkward this was making him feel.

"I feel like I'm interrupting something salacious every time the both of you are in the same room together."

"Maybe because you are," she snips back.

"Everyone is starting to notice," he points out.

It was needless to say at this point. She was sure everyone in Tenebrae knew.

"I would worry if they could not," she sighs.

As the tension had increased, the less they tried to be inconspicuous. Before, only she had been obvious in her unwavering scrutiny of Noctis while he had tried to remain covert. Today they had been openly staring at each other with blazing intensity. Hers had been a fiery determination. His had been a smoldering desire. A little different but no less passionate in retrospect. The large room they had all been sitting in with her Council had soon been in danger of spontaneously combusting. The other occupants at the table had started to shift around uncomfortably when Cal had finally offered to take her back to her rooms because she looked feverish. Of course she had and not because she was ill either. She had been feverish with a flaming intent and they all knew it. Yes, she had definitely been feverish. So she did not rebuke Cal for being so derogatory now. They were alone anyway. She would have been shocked at such behavior if she had ever witnessed it but Noctis had given her no other choice.

"If you guys don't work out whatever it is that's going on between you, I'm going to have to involve myself," warns Cal.

She can just imagine what he would do. Most likely it would have something along the lines of locking her and Noctis in a room together until they resolved their issues, shagging included. Since that, in Cal's opinion, was where they were skydiving towards already. She knows he means well when he says it would alleviate the tension. It probably would. Until Noctis recovered from his haze of fulfilled desire and feel guilty about that too. In the end, the consequences would be too much. It might just cause Noctis to fall right over the edge and it was never wise to drive a man with Noctis' power to the brink of madness. There was no end to the damage he could unleash.

A knock at the door breaks away those thoughts and Cal immediately springs out of the couch and answers it.

"Just what the doctor ordered!" Cal cries with a grin at the person at the other end of the door.

"That is supposed to be my line," jokes a pleasant and deep voice.

She should not have been as surprised as she was that he was sent to see her, but she is. There is barely enough time to hide her shock before he fully enters her chambers and she is facing him. It would be a lie to say that she was not at all glad to see him. Her intention had not been to avoid him, but she had not had a chance to see him since she had returned to her kingdom.

"Lady," he greets her formally, accompanied with a slight bow.

"I am still Stella, Divum," she says somewhat lamely. They both knew she was not just Stella anymore.

He nods his head in acknowledgment anyway, but still does not say her name.

"I come at the request of certain members of the Council," he explains, looking from her to Cal for a moment. "Apparently you were overheated?"

"I'll say," blurts out Cal cheekily but he does not elaborate.

She is very thankful for his unusual tact.

Divum calmly walks closer to where she is sitting before kneeling down so that their faces are eye level. He studies her eyes clinically as he always does, before asking permission to feel her forehead.

"Yes, of course," she answers and wonders why he asked now when he had never asked before.

His touch is detached and does not linger before he looks into her eyes again. He grasps her hand next, to feel the pressure of her wrist.

"You are a little flustered," he agrees. "Was the room not properly circulated?"

"It was not the temperature in the room," relays Cal with his arms crossed.

"I do not feel unwell, Divum," she says, taking his attention away from Cal quickly. "Really."

"Was King Noctis not in the room?" Divum inquires. "His presence would have helped you."

Cal snorts this time but does not offer any other comment. She feels a wave of guilt at the mention of Noctis. Divum seems to notice this from one look at her face and his professional demeanor melts into the man that had genuinely cared for her. He always saw her feelings so well.

"Can I have a moment to examine my patient, Cal?" he asks, rising to stand on his feet and looking at Cal.

"I'll be right outside," responds Cal. Her cousin exchanges a look with her before retreating to her door and out into the hallway.

After the door has been shut for a moment that he turns back around to look at her. She wonders if he means to scold her in some way. It was not hard to figure out what was going on. True, he would not know the details but he was far more observant than Cal and would have already guessed.

"I have been hearing a few bizarre comments about you lately," he comments evenly.

"Do I want to know them?" she asks, feeling very tired now. Her aggression and determination seems to have flown right out of her, leaving her feeling deflated.

"I had dismissed them as petty insults but from Cal's statements just now, I am forced to wonder if they are actually true."

There is no way to tell whether he was upset with her or not. Unlike Noctis, Divum did not show his emotions through his eyes very often. A trait that was good to have in his profession she supposed. He had to remain stoic, even when telling someone they were going to die. This did not mean that he was uncaring. He was nothing but kindness to everyone and he was generally liked and respected within her inner circle. Nobody had protested when they had started becoming more than doctor and patient. He was from a prestigious family and was considered a progeny in the medical field. They had gotten along so well too. The match would have been ideal to everyone in her kingdom, except her. It would have been unfair to Divum if she married. He deserved someone that loved him completely.

"I have not been acting myself, I admit it," she confesses.

"Lord Noctis has something to do with it, I suppose," Divum says and it is definitely not a question.

"We had a simple misunderstanding and I am trying to prove that he is wrong."

"Does this have something to do with that incident on your way home?"

She looks up into his face. Not out of surprise since she knew that he would have already been alerted. It was something in his tone that had her curious.

"You treated me when I was brought here," she realizes belatedly. There would not have been anyone else trusted enough to treat her. "Did you treat him too?"

"I did," he says with a nod. "He was not in a good frame of mind."

"You say mind," she points out. "Not physically. Did he say something?"

Divum looks somewhat uncomfortable and she knows he must have.

"What did he say to you, Divum?" she asks directly.

There is a moment where she thinks that he might not answer her. She waits as he looks away and sighs.

"He said that he did not deserve you," he says at last. "That you should have…" then drifts off hesitantly.

"Please go on," she insists.

"He wanted me to know that he thought you chose wrong," Divum finishes, looking at her again.

Falling back, she sinks further into her couch.

"I am sure he did not mean that," Divum says reassuringly.

"He did," she tells him quietly. "He did mean it."

"So he has severed your relationship and you are trying to get him to change his mind?" Divum asks, even though he has already reached that conclusion himself.

She nods and Divum smiles fondly at her. It was not the reaction she had been expecting.

"You are definitely doing a good job of it," he comments.

"Are you going to tell me that this is mentally unhealthy?" she asks warily.

"No," he says with a shake of his head. "His feelings of unworthiness are actually admirable."

"Admirable?" she asks incredulously.

"He is definitely not the man I thought he was," adds Divum. "It makes me feel better."

"That makes you like him now?" she asks baffled.

"I have always liked him," admits Divum easily. "I just like him more after hearing this."

She shakes her head at the contrast. What he found admirable was currently driving her insane.

"Before I reached your door earlier," he explains. "I happened across him in the hall. He looked … shaken."

"Shaken," she repeats, not sure what that means.

"Like someone who needed to step out and get some air to clear their heads," he explains. "He might have gone outside."

"Clear his head and reaffirm his resolve," she says almost resentfully.

"Your methods, though unseemly to everyone else, seems to be working," comments Divum with an approving nod. "But I would advise caution."

"Why?"

"When someone like Noctis snaps, you had better be prepared."

That was actually what she had been going for. She was just not going to tell Divum that.


	24. Inconditus

**Prompt: **#16 Improvise

**Summary: **A wedding from another perspective.

**A/N: **This take place in the Eclipse Series during Matrimonium.

Inconditus is Latin for "unplanned, confused, not arranged."

_**Inconditus**_

"I'm gonna leave the details up to you."

That had been the last thing his friend said before unhelpfully ditching him. No real instructions or directions. Just that. Nothing that could actually be helpful. He was tempted to find his "friend" right now, just to let him know just how bad an idea it was to put this on him. What was he thinking, putting _him _in charge of something like this anyway? Sapien really should have known better. Maybe Sap was losing it from the pressure from recent events. It wouldn't have surprised him since Noct always went to him Sapien. Noct was smart like that, because he's sure his advice would have been crap. Sapien was the genius and it took the pressure off of him. So, if anyone was in need of a serious lapse in mental reality, it was Sap. That still didn't make this right.

If he were a reasonable person, which he wasn't, he'd be more helpful and look at this positively. But he's not reasonable and he darn well wasn't going to let Sapien get away with throwing this at him. Okay, so he really did see the point of leaving his trusty rifle at home today, but he didn't have to be happy about it. In fact he refused to be and nobody was going to tell him otherwise. Even though he probably wouldn't care about being an even bigger jackass if he wasn't sure that either Noct or Stell wouldn't kick his grateful piece of good looking man flesh out of the festivities. That was the _only _thing preventing him from being a sourpuss right now.

_This was supposed to be a fun day!_

He had spent hours on which pick up lines would _guarantee_ he would not be sleeping alone tonight. But,most of them directly involved is rifle! Gah! It hadn't even occurred to him that he wouldn't have it with him and damn that it was restricted. He had tried to make the excuse that he was standing on guard in case someone decided to crash the party, but Sap had raised his eyebrow in that annoyingly know it all way of his and he'd dropped the act. Not his finest excuse but it had been a good one! Sap may not say much but he had those eyes on him. Maybe the glasses were for added effect cause they never failed to make him nervous when he got like that. Then he goes and drops this bomb on him right at this last second about ten minutes ago. He was an attention hog, what of it? That didn't mean he wanted to do something like this! He had been all prepared to be make a spectacle about being one of the groom's men with his swanky suit and perfectly ruffled hair. Heck, he'd even practiced which kind of grin he was going to flash the ladies as he passed them on the way down the aisle. But this? This was just not what he was good at! What was he supposed to do? He was a genius, not an improv comedian... well, wait. That just brought a thought to his head.

"Hey Vi!" he shouts, jumping onto his feet and storming, without knowing, into his roommate's room.

"You still can't bring the rifle," growls Vires in response. He's frowning at the bowtie he has to tie and they already know he doesn't have a clue how to wear one.

"Not that!" he cries and his voice just went up an octave. "Sap just gave me the _thing_ to do."

"Oh, that," snickers his scarred buddy in delight. He wouldn't think it was so funny if it were him!

"I need a wig."

"And what makes you think I wanna know that?"

"You need to help me find one!"

"How is it going to help you?"

"I've decided to go to the wedding in drag," he snarks.

Vires scoffs really loudly before frowning at the strip of silk that he's supposed to make look like a bowtie again. Where were clip ons when you needed one!

"It's for my gig," he explains.

"You need a wig to do your MC duties?" Vires asks skeptically, pausing just to give him a matching glare.

"Not just one...," he stops to think about it first. He taps his chin for emphasis and then counts with his fingers. "Maybe eight."

"Eight?" gaps Vires and he really needs to not look like that because he looks very dumb. "You're serious."

"Have I ever been serious?" he shoots back.

"Why are you asking me anyway?" asks Vires, looking offended. "I've never needed a wig."

"Yeah you have," he insists. "Remember that time we made that bet..."

"Don't remind me," interrupts Vires. "But that was a long time ago. I don't think that place is still open."

"Who do we know that would have a clue and not say anything?"

"Do you even have to think about it?"

"I'm doing enough thinking trying to come up with stuff at the last minute," he defends.

"Your favorite person, of course," Vires answers with a roll of his eyes.

"Me?"

"Second favorite then," corrects Vires with a very wide roll of his eyes, this time, that he very obviously ignores.

"Second favorite.. oh! Sunshine! He'd know," he realizes with a grin on his face. He snaps his fingers too. "He might even have some of his own."

"Wouldn't surprise me," agrees Vires. "And he definitely wouldn't be telling Noctis or Stella about it either."

"Very true. I like that," he says, getting very excited now that his plans are coming together and he even gets to taunt Sol at the same time. "Come on, we'll see him now."

"Who says I'm going with you?"

"Of course you're coming with me!"

"I need to get ready."

"All you have to do is put that monkey suit on." he whines. "Come on! You know I'd go for you!"

"No you wouldn't."

"Okay I wouldn't. But you gotta! Come on buddy! I don't want to be alone with Sunshine," he says, looking a little pensive.

"Why not?" Vires asks but it's clear he just wants him to say it.

"He was checking me out yesterday."

"No he wasn't," says Vires with yet another roll of his eyes.

"Yes he was!"

"I was there. He wasn't."

"Were you checking him out?"

"One of his eyes was swollen. Plus you tried to argue with him the entire time. Of course he was looking at you."

"He was _checking_ me out!"

"You think _everyone _is checking you out."

"You say that like it's never true."

"Because it usually isn't."

"That hurts!"

"The truth usually does!"

"You could have said it a little nicer."

"Like you would?"

"..."

"See?"

"Okay fine! But can you please come with me?"

"You're going to owe me big time for this," Vires cringes.

"Put it on my tab," he says with a grin.

"The one where you already owe me a new truck?"

"I said I'd get it when we finally get paid!"

"We've already gotten paid. Three weeks ago."

"Well... my check hasn't cleared yet."

"You don't get checks."

"I'll do it!"

"You'd better," warns Vires and he has that look in his eye that can't be good. "Or you'll find a dent in your barrel."

"You wouldn't!" he cries.

"I **so **would!" vows Vires and he means it from that almost crazed look on that scarred face of his.

"Fine!" he whines really loudly. "To show you what a good sport I am, I'll even help you tie the bowtie right."

"Another thing."

"What now?" he asks and he's getting pretty annoyed. "You're asking for too much!"

"You owe me too much!"

"Fine!" he cries, but he's secretly pleased cause he really doesn't want to see Sunshine by himself. Wouldn't want any rumors to go around that he preferred the mens to the womens.

"Why do you need the wigs? A straight answer or I'm not going."

"I'm... I'm, er going to dress up as each Crystal Bearer."

Vires blinks at him and then bursts out in a roaring laugh.

"Okay, let's go," says Vires as he opens the door to go see Sol. "But I get to pick the outfit you gotta wear when you're being Procella."

"What?"


	25. Prodigiosus

**Prompt:** #46 Supernatural

**Summary:** They could not be quite human, could they?

**A/N:** This is a stand alone.

Prodigiosus is Latin for "unnatural, miraculous, amazing".

_**Prodigiosus**_

It was hard to say how long the duration of their war had been. There were times it seemed as if there had never been a time they had not been fighting. For so many years before this, it had been a cold war of silent hostility. Then it had become a blazing inferno of hate and destruction. She cannot remember when it had actually been sparked. It seemed to happen overnight. One night she fell asleep in her bed, feeling a small tension but nothing more than she usually felt. The next morning, there had been utter chaos around the castle and she had been trapped. Within a matter of minutes, her world had irrevocably changed. She is not sure whether she thinks it got worse, but it had certainly not gotten better. There had been certain things that she is glad had changed with these dark times. Changes that have brought her close to Noctis and she knows she would never change anything because of that.

The line between friend and foe, lover and enemy had always been distorted between them. From the moment they had met, she knew that what they were starting was going to bring more conflict to an already volatile situation. Their feelings were not supposed to end up so attached to one from the other side. It had happened regardless of what any of them had wanted. They have never openly confessed their feelings for each other but it was easily felt between them. The feelings were there and clearly seen too, but there was never a definitive declaration of them. It made her feel so completely unreasonable to realize that she needed to hear him say it now. Right now, within this tense situation of pain and adrenaline. Just having the knowledge was now not enough for her anymore. Not when she was currently fighting for her very life. The unspoken feelings just seemed to accumulate more and more as they spent more time in each other's company. The more battles they fought and won together, the more she felt she needed him to finally say it. She needed that right now because she feels like she just may die this time.

They were not normal people. Their gifts transcended them to a higher level of being. This is not to boast or elevate them. It was truth. People just did not come into this world with the abilities that the both of them possessed. It can also be said that not everyone had been as close to death as they had been in order to receive such gifts either. So they were both very different sort of people. They were feared and they were hated. Hated no more than their own noblemen and it had pushed the two of them to join forces in order to face their mutual opposition. What had started as a rivalry between two kingdoms had quickly changed to an extermination of people like them. Of people that had gifts bestowed upon them that made them special. It was to them the blame of the dying Crystals had been laid. Instead of figuring out a solution, they were doing nothing but fighting and causing even more damage in the process. At this moment she and Noctis and whoever allied themselves to them were to be caught or killed, preferably killed.

Days of fighting had turned into weeks and now it has all a blur of battles that she wishes she had never lived to see. There had been so much bloodshed and tears that she does not remember a time when she had been happy. It is only when she looks at him that she can feel human. Was she still even human? They were not considered to be. Sometimes she felt half dead. Like a part of her had died that day that she had been spared from dying. A piece of herself had never really come back to life but had already died inside of her. It was only with him that she felt whole again. She knows he feels the same way because they seem to not be able to do without the other now. Sometimes in the night, she finds him lying beside her and her body wrapped into the curve of his. Those strong arms and dangerous hands that have killed so many to stay alive would cling to her as if she is the only thing that can keep him grounded in their unstable world. Much like she felt about him. She cherished such moments, because it was only within them, that she felt safe. Such brief times compared to the long endless ones that they were fighting. She wishes she could stop to relish them, but not now.

"Look out!" she hears before she is unceremoniously knocked flat onto her back with a solid body above her as a shield. Her cry of pain is muted by the ear deafening sound of an explosion and a tearing of metal, before they feel the impact of destruction. Debris lands all around them and she finds herself burying her face in his neck and clinging to him with her hands as she feels the heat. He holds her head gently to him and she can hear him grit his teeth against the particles that must be hitting his back.

"Are you all right?" he asks, grasping her face and lifting himself just enough to look into her eyes. Then his hand and eyes look towards her midriff and despite it all, she still feels ticklish.

"Fine. Thank you," she replies, placing a firm grip on the side of his face so he can focus. His powers were becoming glitchy now. There had been too many injuries sustained to keep up the regeneration with it. They had done something to him. They had done something to them both so that their powers were unstable. Something within this horrid place was not right. "Are you all right?" She runs her eyes and hands all along where they can reach.

"A few bruises," he says with a shrug and then his weight is gone from her before he offers her his hand. "We must hurry."

She does not even hesitate to take it and they are both on their feet and running a moment later.

"Where are we?" she asks, noting that this hallway looked exactly like the one they had just left behind.

"We need to go down one more floor," he replies over his shoulder. He runs with unswerving confidence to their destination. His sense of navigation had always gotten them through their trials and she is thankful. She had lost count of how many times his good sense had led them through the more dangerous perils they had been through together. None of their group questioned them. He soon finds a staircase that she had not even seen ahead and they are bounding down them two at a time. They can both hear the heavy sounds of pursuit all around them and angrily shouted orders.

"We do not have much time," he tells her just before he opens the door to the floor and leaps out into the new hallway, crystals flaring in the air. Sounds of gunfire echo in the slate metal hall, soon followed by the screams of the ones felled by Noctis' sword. She joins him in the hall soon after and helps him finish off the rest before they are running again. The pain in her side is becoming increasingly uncomfortable and she has to clutch it now in order to keep steady pace wit him.

"Not much farther," he reassures, as if reading her thoughts.

He takes her past a sharp turn and they both come to a skidded halt before a heavily locked door. She stands back, already knowing what he will do, before he blasts it open. There was no time to pick the security pad and try for the usual stealth in this situation. He goes in first and she follows a moment later. Papers are fluttering as they fall amidst the dust from the ruined door. She cannot help the cough that escapes her throat, only to gasp as the pain in her side intensifies. Her legs feel unsteady and she sways. Tears blur her vision a moment before she forcefully blinks them away. The sounds of drawers and cabinets rapidly and carelessly being opened fills the room when she finally gets her bearings.

"I found it," he says with relief.

He is in front of her and holding the syringe for her to see. As much as she had prepared herself, there is a certain amount of terror looking at the sheer size of the thing. She knew it would be thick and she usually did not mind needles too much, but she cannot help the anxiety at seeing the size of this. There is nothing to be done and they cannot hesitate. So she nods her ascent to him and lifts up her blouse. He steps closer but he hesitates as he holds the syringe to her exposed skin.

"I trust you," she says because she knows he needs to hear it. He looks into her eyes and she can see the remorse on his handsome face. Her heart softens even more towards him and she wishes that she could tell him how much she felt for him, finally.

"Forgive me," he whispers, just before he plunges the large needle directly into her wound. She cuts off the cry with a snap of her jaw but a muffled scream escapes anyway. The pain is excruciating as he pumps the liquid into her system and withdraws the syringe. He pulls her towards him quickly to crush her body into his embrace as the medicine takes effect and she fights from screeching in agony.

"It will pass," he tells her soothingly. She tries to focus on the warmth of his breathe in her ear to get her through. "You must bear it."

A strangled whimper escapes her mouth in response. She feels icy coldness creep through her veins and shivers start to wrack violently through her body. He presses her even more tightly against him in response. As if he wishes to absorb some of her pain for her.

"Bite my shoulder if you must."

She does not want to but he presses her face against it and the pain is just too much. Before she fully realizes it, she actually is biting down on the thick leather of his shoulder as the pain does not lessen. It is a few more endless moments and just when she feels like she cannot stand anymore, she begins to feel the pain subside. Her jaw slackens as she releases his shoulder and she feels him breath with her, but he does not loosen his hold on her body. He runs his leather covered gloves through her hair in a soothing manner and she whispers words to her that she cannot hear, but she can feel. Her side almost begins to tickle and itch as her flesh closes around the gaping hole of her wound and mends itself quickly. She does not feel as light headed now and she sighs in relief.

"Will it always hurt so much?" she mumbles, still slumped against his shoulder.

"Not as much as just now," he answers. Which means it will always be painful but she hopes not this painful again. She feels his lips against her forehead and she can sense that he is proud of her for enduring. "It took so long to get you the antidote so you felt the pain strongly."

Their enemies had developed a weapon with an essence of Crystal that would prevent any injury from healing. If left alone too long before treatment, the tainted Crystal essence leaked into your bloodstream and poisoned you. A horrible death soon followed. It must have advanced more than she had guessed if she had felt the coldness so deeply. She would have been angry if she was not so sad.

"We must go," she says, though she is reluctant to leave the shelter of his arms. They have been here too long and she knows he is delaying for her sake. "How much of the cure do we have?"

"We should be all right," he answers, patting one of the compartments at his pouch. "We must reclaim the others."

Yes, the second part of their mission here in this horrid place of unfeeling metal. Their three companions had been taken during the last battle. The one where she had been wounded so terribly.

"Are you ready?" he asks and she can hear that he is already back in battle mode. His mind is not with her as much as it had been just a few moments ago.

If there were only more moments of time for them. Perhaps if they had been normal, they could have loved each other freely and they would have no worries of needless bloodshed. But they were not normal. They are supernatural. She just hopes that one day, they would have some time to at least tell each other how much they loved each other. That would have to be enough. The hope of that moment, would have to be enough…for now.

* * *

This is the halfway mark of my challenge! 25 Prompts fulfilled, 25 more to go! Thank you to everyone for your outstanding support!


	26. Saevio

**Prompt: **#22 Violence

**Summary: **Through the eyes of a warrior Prince.

**A/N: **This is a stand alone.

Saevio is Latin for "to rage, be furious, take violent action".

_**Saevio**_

It was an all too familiar sound. The wet, almost splashy sound of his sword slicing through flesh and the responding burst of red liquid gushing forth. Sometimes he could feel the crunch of bones when he was feeling particularly vindictive towards his opponent. A spine was a tricky thing to severe. One not only had to hit a certain spot, they had to twist just right. He has had ample opportunity to master this skill. Then the silence that follows when one's enemy has finally fallen. The adrenaline continues the erratic breathing of his heart and the only sounds on the battlefield are the exhalations of his breathe. At his feet lies another broken body that is the result of his direct actions. He had done this. He has done this countless times before. Killing another living being in order to fight another day. Just another amongst a sea of bodies that he has had to extinguish like an insect. Doomed to do nothing else but wait until the next comes along to challenge him again. When did he become this killer? What did that make him? Why did this fate befall him?

To live a violent life, one will die just as violently. He accepts this because he does not deserve to die peacefully. There could never be a painless death into the oblivion for him. Painless was not how he had lived his life and he does not expect to end it without it. It is hard to believe that there was a time he almost thought this was fun. This life of violence that he has been born into. It had not even bothered him when he had taken a life before. That was when he had been younger. Now, with so many fallen at his sword, he thinks with more clarity. There was no glory in the death of another. To watch someone's life drain from their eyes was not a triumph. Such a thing was a loss. It was a loss that could never be regained. There was no such thing as redemption for a killer. Which was exactly what he was, a killer.

He expects one day that it will be him that feels the edge of someone else's sword thrust into his body instead. Sometimes he almost relishes it because he can see the ones that he has done the same thing to. When he closes his eyes at night, he can see their faces. If he could accumulate them all into one place, it would be a disgusting monument of rotten corpses. One so high that he would not be able to see over the top of it. Blood would flow like a river around him and the stench of it would repel even vultures. He is sure that at one point in time there was a purpose for all this death. There was a reason, a cause for such vile things but he cannot really remember now. It must have been something noble enough to fight for. He has lost his focus so long ago that it does not seem to matter what it was anymore. There was not much else to his life except constant death. Death delivered by his own, stained hands that can never be cleaned now. All he had left was to find that one he would gladly allow to deal his deathly blow.

As an answer to his thoughts, he can feel them as they approach at his back. A melancholic smile teases his lips as he turns his head slightly to catch a glimpse of them in his peripheral vision and he feels unexpectedly mournful.

"I am glad it is you," he says, before turning his eyes to regard them fondly.

She is a vision of luminescence in the dark, bleak world that is his life. All white and pale with skin so soft and so delicate that she was nothing but a ray of purity and grace. Such a contrast to his own presence. While he brought gloom and cloudy skies, she brought shining beacons that refused to be ignored in the night sky. His perfect opposite in every way. Even the expression on her face is a contrast of what must be on his. He knows he looks at her with grim satisfaction while she stares back with hopeful contemplation.

"Who are you?" she asks in that voice of hers that makes him think of lazy days in cloudless blue skies. It is an unexpected question, but he finds he thinks of an answer very quickly.

"I am the god of war," he answers. "Violence is my creed and my law."

He expects her to be angry. Something close to it at least. Perhaps even disappointment to make it easier for her. He certainly does not expect her to look sad.

"I am not some avenger come to exact revenge upon you," she says with a slight shake of her head.

He notes that though her sword is drawn, it's not pointed at him but at the ground at her feet. She is prepared for a defensive attack instead of an offensive. Clever girl. She was giving him the choice while always on her guard.

"Maybe you should be," he tells her and he turns his body to face her fully. He has his own sword in hand but like her, his is not positioned in challenge either.

"Why me?" she asks apprehensively.

"Because I choose you."

"That is not an answer and you know it," she points out, giving him a challenging look.

He smiles and he knows it must look bitter because he feels a bitterness inside him now. Smiles did not come naturally to someone like him.

"A god of war to be conquered by a goddess of love," he explains. His voice is factual.

It is not meant to be a flattering flowery declaration. He was neither a flatterer nor a flowery sort of man. It was an accurate analogy in his mind. He was Hades and she Venus. He lifts up his sword to engage her to fight but she does not follow his gesture. Instead, she takes a step closer and as unbelievable as it seems, he feels the urge to move back. Not specifically out of fear, but from the feelings he sees reflected in her eyes.

"If you want a means to end your life, you have chosen the wrong person," she says taking another small step closer.

He watches the steady determination on her face a moment and he wonders how someone can look so stubborn and yet so yielding at the same time. They were two expressions that were so contradictory and yet they were both evident in her features. Of all the women he had known in his life, she has always had the power to keep him endlessly enthralled.

"It is fitting," he tells her, getting his emotions under control. This time he makes himself take a step closer to her. "You can and you will."

In this he is confident. Her lovely face looks uncertain a moment and his smile turns bittersweet.

"You will because you have to. You know this," he urges her.

"You give me a set destiny when you resent fate yourself," she accuses, but there is no malice in her tone. His kind goddess has tears in her eyes for him and he feels humbled by her affection.

It was more than he deserved and he is wicked enough to savor this rare commodity of having someone care. For having _her _care.

"This has nothing to do with a preset destiny," he says because he needs her to understand. He steps closer until there is only a foot between their bodies. Slowly and pointedly he raises the thin edge of her sword to his chest and presses the shape point against his heart. "I choose you to do this because you are the only one that can."

"Why do you want this so much?" she pleads. Seeing the tears so closely now creates an unfamiliar ache in his chest. The grip on her hilt is disappointingly weak. It is her show of rebelliousness against him and he wants to smile again.

"This is justice," he answers. "I cannot be stopped and this war cannot be won if you refuse to do this."

They both knew this was true. Neither side would be the victor unless one of them killed the other. That was the only way to end their war. It was why it had been going on for so long. He could not kill her no matter how desperate he was for it to end. He could not ever kill her and she did not deserve to die. Between the two it should be him and he would only allow her to do it. She who has conquered him already. Why not make her triumph complete?

"So you forfeit so easily?" she says with a frown. "After all that has happened. The things that we have both done, you just give up?"

"Do you remember why we are even fighting?"

She hesitates because even she has not remembered as he had trouble remembering.

"The Crystal," she says, but it takes her so long to recall this, that it pains him that even she needed reminding of it. His conviction is strengthened that this is right.

"I do not remember so readily either," he confesses. "The war will continue until there is nothing on our planet to win."

"But even then there will be something," she replies and she has a look of urgency on her face now that puzzles him. "You cannot see it because you cannot see anything beyond the violence. You are too afraid to."

"Afraid?" he repeats with a frown. No, he did not see what she means but even as he thinks this, in his heart he knows that, that is a lie. He does see what she means. Only, he does not want to think of what that could mean.

"You have given me the power of you life," she reiterates.

He nods.

"And it is your life that I choose to keep," she tells him determinedly.

"There is no justice in allowing me to live when I have done nothing but bring violence," he reminds her in a tone deliberately sounding impatient. Perhaps if he feigned anger, she would change her mind. She also cannot refute this logic. It would be an injustice to keep him alive as she wanted. She had to accept this.

She merely shakes her head in that endearingly stubborn way again and he resists the urge to kiss her. When a smile reaches her lips, he feels the heaviness in his chest lighten and he actually does feel a little afraid at this new feeling that she gives him. The feeling that she has always secretly given him.

"I am not the goddess of justice," she says and drops her sword to the ground. It lands with a loud clang between them. "You said I am the goddess of love. So justice can shove off because as much as you may deserve it, love grants you another opportunity to achieve redemption."

He thinks over all this implies and wants to argue. She accuses him of being afraid to live and face the consequences of the violence he has wrought all his life. Maybe it was the coward's way out, but how did one change his nature? How many families were out there, mourning their dead because of him?

"You have already changed," she tells him as if she has read his thoughts. "People will see."

"I fail to see the change," he says.

"Because death cannot see what love can," she say patiently, then reaching up to touch his face. "Love suffers long and is kind. It hopes and endures all things."

"Even this?" he asks, pointing towards himself.

"All things," she emphasizes. "But I no longer have to hope."

"Why?" he asks, bringing his face down to be closer to hers.

"Because you do love me back," she says. "And death and violence leave no place for love."

He looks away from her as he tries to grasp this thought but he does not move his face away. It was not exactly logical but there was truth in it.

"That was why you would only allow me to be the one to kill you," she whispers, circling his face with both her small hands and forcing his eyes back to hers.

His eyes look into hers and he suddenly feels very vulnerable that she had read through him so vividly. Within the haze of his dark eyes, she had seen inside with perfect clarity the why that he could not have told her verbally.

"Join with me," she invites. "We can turn this all around. We can leave Rage and Fury behind."

"What if I cannot?" he asks grimly. There was no guarantee. It all seemed like hopeful delusions of things that cannot be.

"Then we will both meet violent ends together," she vows.

"Not you," he growls quickly, clutching her waist with his hands. "Not you."

"Why not me?" she insists. "I have done as much killing as you."

"For the world to lose something so…," he finds himself at a loss to which word he wants because he wants to use so many at once. He clutches her face and lightly bumps their foreheads together in his haste. "The world cannot lose something so precious."

"That is how I feel about you," she says, tilting her face to kiss the corner of his mouth. "Shall we try to redeem ourselves together?"

This leaves him torn because he does not agree with her. He was not precious. He was not redeemable. There was no hope for him. But he can see that she does not feel that way and that she meant what she said about meeting a violent means with him. She was hitting him at his weakest. His weakest being _her_. She knew he would not sacrifice her. He would not risk her. So he does not have any other choice.

"Yes," he says, closing his eyes and praying that he can keep this promise. "I will try."


	27. Perculsus

**Prompt:** #43 Inconceivable

**Summary:** Some things just can't be foreseen.

**A/N:** This takes place after the Eclipse Series and Praestolatio Prestolatio.

Perculsus is Latin for "a shock".

_**Perculsus**_

The gaping mouth was something new. Now he was waiting for that inevitable shriek or high pitched squeak that always accompanied things that surprised his friend. It's just that he had been expecting that and not the gaping fish expression currently on his friend's face which didn't look like it was going to be disappearing anytime soon.

"It's about time," growls Vires with an approving nod.

Which seems to get Des out of his stupor. It leaves him feeling stunned too. Though he doesn't think he has a gaping mouth at Vires' remark.

"What do you mean, 'It's about time'? demands Des with a shout that _is_ more like the high pitched squeak that he'd been expecting since the beginning. It's just a little bit more higher pitched and for a second he thinks his glasses might have cracked. "You tellin' me that you knew and you didn't tell me?"

"I would like to know if you have known as long as I or if I was being obtuse too long," Noctis remarks with a smirk, as he sits back on the couch leisurely. Noct and Vires are not as unsettled as he and Des are right now.

Des jerks his head between Noctis and Vires while he merely waits to see what they say. It's something that he's wondered about himself.

"Mira was acting like a broken hearted china doll at dinner when she first arrived," explains Vires and then his scarred friend turns to look at him with a frown. "Just knew you were the cause, even though she denied it."

"I wish you'd have confronted me," he says with regret. "Then I could've cleared things up very quickly and spared Mira any heartache."

He meant that too. To think that her blessed little heart had thought that he would love another was just.. awful to think about. Not only because she thought he would prefer Procella over her but because she couldn't tell just how much he would always want to be with only her. Admittedly, he's never been very good at expressing his feelings. He was not a very emotional kinda guy. If he had to use one word to describe himself, he'd say he was bland. He was downright boring and he knew it and that had never bothered him until he realized _she_ might not like that.

"Wait, what dinner was this?" asks Des before demanding. "Was I there?"

"You had a hot date," he answers, because that night was a night he wouldn't forget.

He'd replayed that night in his head countless times already. At the time, he hadn't been able to figure out why Mira had so flatly declined his offer to walk her back to her rooms the way she had. He'd been planning on asking her to go for a walk around the city but she'd never given him an opening. All she'd done was smile, a sad smile that didn't look right on her face and tell him that he should enjoy his night off. But, what would he do with himself for a night if she wouldn't spend it with him? He had ended up working instead, like he always did. The image of her walking away so happily with Vires and then hearing the echoing sound of her laughter when they'd gone out of sight had hurt him so much he had actually _felt_ it. He had never even thought things like that were physically possible. His hand almost moves to scratch his chest now because he can always feel it again when he thinks about that night. So, he had ended up working because he couldn't stand sitting around with nothing else to do but feel that pain.

"Which hot date?" asks Des with a scratch of his head that tempts him to roll his eyes.

"Never mind," snorts Vires. Then he looks at Noct. "When did you figure it out?"

"I should have known when I caught him picking Glacialis statues with Lunae," replies Noctis and he looks a little disappointed in himself.

He smirks in reply to that. Noctis was usually very perceptive but he'd missed that. He could tell Noct had wanted to ask for details but he wouldn't have gotten an answer anyway. Especially after he asked if he was going to tell him the why and he'd told him flatly that he wouldn't. Unlike Des, he and Vires weren't nosy and all it usually took was a 'no' to get them off your back.

"You actually caught him doing something?" asks Vires in disbelief and raises an eyebrow at him.

"Sneaky as always," grumbles Des, who's crossed his arms now.

It hadn't been for Vires or Noctis' sake that he'd kept his feelings for Mira a secret. It'd been for Des' sake because as much as Des blabbered on senselessly most times, he had very deep feelings on certain things. Mira had always been Des' favorite and he'd held his own feelings back believing that they'd both figure out they loved each other. The fact that Des had yet to make his random outburst was proof of how deep his real feelings were. A quiet Des was never a good thing and it makes him feel apprehensive now. He thinks maybe he should have told his rifle slinging friend in private instead of as a group like this.

"First Noct and now you," muses Vires as he looks between him and Noctis. "I wouldn't have thought."

"I kinda thought you were more into tech stuff than girls," grumbles Des and it's strange that he's glad to hear the snide tone in his friend's voice. He had been prepared for anger, not silence.

"I was surprised," Noctis admits. "But I think you two belong together."

His eyes move to look at Des and finds his friend looking at everything else but him. He doesn't even make a comment either and it wasn't like Des to miss an opening like this.

"You're the better of us," says Vires with another approving nod and cuffs him on the shoulder in congratulations. It makes him feel good and he manages a rare smile.

"Mr. Dependable," adds Des seriously and it's not mocking either.

He won't wince at that because that's the truth. He was dependable. He was reliable. He was the boring one. So why someone as vibrant and energetic as Mira would want him was beyond him. As happy as he was that she did return his feelings, he couldn't help but wonder why she had chosen him. She makes it sound like it should be obvious but he doesn't see it that way. He wasn't much to look at. His personality could do with some more spunk and he wasn't very fun to be around. Sometimes he was envious of the carefree way that Des loved life. Des had no reservations and he was definitely more fun. There was always a steady confidence in Des that he had always lacked. Not that he was incredibly self conscious because he wasn't. He just knew his limitations and knew what he wasn't. What he wasn't, was anything like what Mira had shown that she'd wanted. He didn't deserve someone like her but he was not going to let anyone else take her away from him now that she'd told him that she loved him too. She'd said that she'd always loved him and not Des. What kind of an idiot would he be to let her go?

It was underhanded, how he had gone about doing things too. He'd admit that and if Des wanted to slug him for it, he'd take his glasses off and let him. During that time just before Lunae had been born there was something that just… he knew he had to try. He'd felt like a dirty old letch for watching her so much already. Maybe he wasn't old enough to be her father but he acted like he was. He felt old enough to be. It hadn't been his intention to go behind Des' back and try to win her heart. Not originally anyway. At first he'd excused his unreasonable amount of staring by saying that he was just checking to see if she was healthy. That would've been his excuse had anyone asked which wasn't entirely unreasonable. She'd given them a huge scare when she had contracted that rare illness a couple years before. He'd worked tirelessly for hours trying to find out what they had needed to do to cure her. By the time he had found the way, he'd been so exhausted, he just about collapsed once they'd administered the antidote and she had begun to recover.

That same night, he'd still only managed to sleep a couple hours before he was wide awake again and feeling the need to check on her. It'd been late but he kept all kinds of hours and it was probably better to check on her then than waiting until the morning. From first hand experience, he would say that the worst things always happened at night. So, he'd gone to her rooms as quietly as he could only to realize that he didn't need to creep. She had already been up. Not only had she been up, she was standing in her small balcony, breathing in the night air. It wasn't until she had turned to look at him and smiled that he realized that his heart was no longer his own. All those times he watched how Noctis had stared at Stella, like Stella were some being from a higher plain, there weren't any words to describe it. He felt what that look on Noctis' face always conveyed. He doesn't think he'd ever seen anything as entrancing as Mira had looked at that moment. Her purple hair had been swaying and the skirts of her plain dress made her look as elegant as fancy gown could.

All the years that he had known her, he had always known that she would eventually grow up to be a beautiful woman. That cute little petite figure that smiled easily and always had such a trusting look of naivety on her face, would grow up to one day break his heart. He hadn't thought of that heart break in the way he did now though. That kind of heart break that something precious had matured and that innocent look had vanished. After growing up in a world where innocence was something nonexistent, to see it in someone so young had been a gem for someone who was always watching. For someone who treasured it. People were jaded. People in Nihilsomno more than others. But to meet someone like Mira and know that one day, her own innocence would be just as jaded, had always made him sad when he thought about it. He would have mourned it's loss when it had faded from her eyes.

Within that moment, watching her newly cured from his own efforts and out in the refreshing night air, the smile on her face and the subtle natural scent of her being made his heart ache in a different way. Everything shifted after that. It was within that moment that he realized that she would always have that innocence to her. She would always have it and by no means did it make her weak. If anything, it proved just how strong she was. That she refused to be jaded like everyone else. Ever since she had been little, she had such keen foresight that even he was taken aback when she'd say the most logical things. Even with that gift and being able to read the inner person, she always kept her naïve and most cherished purity. She was all too aware of the ugliness of the world but she never changed. That inner person would never change and that was what he cherished. That was what he loved. He didn't have a chance after that night. She'd taken his heart and his devotion and when he'd realized this, he'd also known that she'd break his heart in the other way too. She doesn't know what would have been worse. Watching in silence as she slowly lost that endearing quality of positivity in her or knowing that he could never have her himself. In either situation, he always saw himself on the sidelines. That was where he always would be and he would always be there to watch over her for anything she needed. He'd do anything for her, but always at a distance.

It was very unlike him to try and change that. When he felt himself getting emotional, he always fell back on his work to distract him. He'd always picked being productive than moping around and thinking about things that he shouldn't be thinking. What he shouldn't have been thinking about was her. Des talked about Mira constantly, even though Des hardly spoke to or saw her when she wasn't around or they weren't attending some event. There had always been a spark of some deeper emotion in Des' eyes whenever anyone mentioned Mira. So, for two years after he realized his own feelings for her, he had declined any events that he knew she would be at and had arranged to have Des attend instead. The thought that she'd missed him during that time had never even crossed his mind. Anyone missing him just because they liked to be around him wasn't something he thought possible. People only missed him when they needed something done. He was reliable. There weren't many people who liked to just have him around for no other reason than to have his presence. Noctis and his other brothers aside, Stella was the only one who seemed to enjoy his company. It had been enough and he had refused to believe otherwise.

Despite his noble intentions to stay away and wait for that inevitable day that Des would announce that he and Mira would get married, when she came to stay with Stella during her first pregnancy, something changed. It wasn't because when he'd seen her standing in front of Des, he realized that she had grown up. He had always known she would and he always knew that she would be stunning. Though stunning wasn't good enough of a word for just how beautiful she had grown up to be. What had made him snap was that fact that the idiot hadn't even realized he had been hitting on Mira in the first place. At first he hadn't even noticed that Des had been that clueless until Mira had looked at him as if she'd been mortified, he'd been more than a little peeved at his friend afterwards. How the dolt could have mistaken her for anyone else was not only idiotic, it was completely unacceptable.

Mira deserved to be with someone who saw her no matter what she looked like. He would never be unable to recognize her, no matter how much she had outwardly changed. That spark. That freshness. There was no way to miss it or mistake it. She was the only one he saw it in. He didn't deserve her either but he had to make sure she knew she deserved the devotion of a goddess.

It had taken him longer than his usual time to get enough inner calm to go about the rest of the itinerary for the day when he realized that there was something that he needed to ask Noctis. Some of the building materials they'd ordered had come in but somehow they hadn't sent enough. It would set back, yet another, project that he was putting together and he had to tell Noct. He'd just been writing back to the carriers when he'd bumped into Mira and dropped his handheld. Looking at her flushed and eager face had wiped his memory for a moment. How could he have passed the opportunity to spend some time with her alone? It only started getting worse after that.

As punishment, he'd made Des go with him on a trip he had been requested for just so that he'd keep an eye on him instead of leaving him to embarrass Mira again. Thoughtless Des hitting on innocent Mira like that was not to be tolerated. Not that he'd mentioned it to Des on their trip though. He'd been afraid that Des would have been able to tell that his irritation was more than just the usual eye roll for everything else.

A part of him was glad that Des and Mira had made up because it had made her so happy. He knew how important Des was to her. It didn't stop that gnawing pain his chest whenever she laughed so freely with his friend. When Des had mentioned he was changing her nickname from 'Cutie Pie' to 'Heartbreaker' he couldn't have agreed more. She broke his every time he looked at her knowing that he wouldn't ever have her. He'd been a glutton for punishment for following her into the gardens that day. When he'd made her laugh, he'd gotten that sappy, smug feeling in his chest that chick flicks always gushed about. Her laugh with him had been different to the one he had just heard with Des. There had been a truly feminine and enticing tremor in her voice. He liked to think that it was a laugh just for him because he'd never heard her laugh like that before. He could use that to get him through. He used that to content himself.

It really had been more of a reaction than anything else, when he'd automatically started helping her gather those flowers. He hadn't been trying to be romantic at all. He'd just been doing what he always did. He was being helpful. The hesitant look on her face would have bothered him if he hadn't already known she thought of him as someone who always assisted. It did surprise him when she wanted to know where he found the flowers and had watched her carefully, noting the pleased and happy look on her face as she put them all together. When she'd gathered enough, they had both sat there in the gardens. He watched her as she watched the lavender and that wondering, naïve, exuberant look on her face made him vow that he was going to make sure she always had lavender to watch. He made plans the very next hour, after he had taken her to see Stella, to have an exact replica of Stella's lavender garden be planted in Mira's own home. It was presumptuous and he hoped that she didn't mine the liberty he was taking by doing it but he wanted her to have it. She shouldn't have been without something she loved.

Getting that garden set up and demanding constant updates on its progress was more than a little difficult. Not only did he have to keep it all from getting to the wrong ears, he had to make sure it looked just right. Lavender, though easy enough to grow, was not so easily grown in the soil that surrounded Mira's home. So he had, had to replace that too and make sure the landscapers knew this and planted accordingly. Then there was the note that he had to write. He'd sat at his desk, within his rooms that night thinking about what words to write. There was no way he could sign it so the sentiments had to be just right. His rooms didn't have the best views of the garden but he had a clear enough mental image to replay it in his mind. He knew that whenever he looked at anything purple, he'd think of her, let alone Lavender itself. His hope was that when she saw the garden, she'd think about him too. So that's what he'd written and before he could change his mind, he'd sealed the envelope and written her name on it.

He'd just wrapped up the envelope when Noct had burst into his room and his handheld buzzed with a message from Vires had come at the same time. He could tell from the panicked look on Noctis' face that Stella had finally gone into labor. He'd written back to Vires and he'd managed to keep Noct calm enough as they both walked back to Stella. None of them had been eager to walk in as Stella was going through the labor. They were guys afterall and things like that were just not things that they needed to see unless they were the father. Maybe not even then from the hysterical look on Noct's face whenever he needed to take a breather. He couldn't even imagine how he would feel if it had been Mira. So he'd tried to be helpful. Noct had refused to leave Stella after that, but he could tell that Stella needed a feminine presence besides the business like midwives that were hovering around her. Stella's relieved face when he suggested bringing in Mira had been enough indication for him and he was knocking on Mira's door five minutes later.

He really hadn't been aiming to see so much of her skin when he had knocked at her door in the middle of the night. As distraught and unhinged as he had felt at that moment, nothing brought more focus to a guy's mind than the woman you covet wearing little to cover herself. He's just thankful Mira hadn't caught him staring at her so desperately. For a moment he'd forgotten all about Stella and the baby when she'd left her door open to get her dressing robe. He wasn't sure whether to be glad or disappointed when she closed it tightly around her so he wouldn't see anything else. Probably a good thing because the next thought in his head was anger that Des would get to see her like that too if she didn't.

Why was it that he could only gain the courage to be truthful with her was when she was half asleep? She'd been whining with the most adorable frown on her face while he carried her to her rooms once everything was settled again. Her complaints about everyone still looking at her like she was a child. Comments that Des should have heard because he didn't need to hear that. He was already all too aware of just how much she had grown in the two years since that fateful night on the balcony. When she'd complained about her new nickname and asked why she deserved it, her eyes had been drooped and he'd taken a chance that she wouldn't remember what he said in response.

_You've broken mine._

After he had placed the blankets securely around her, he'd stepped back to stare at her sleeping face. He didn't touch her again for risk of startling her back awake but the urge to had been incredible. Things got considerably busy for him after that and he hadn't had any time to actually spend it with her. It hadn't been something that made him happy but he didn't have a choice. Things always needed to be done. His opportunity finally came when he found out only he had the time to escort her to her airship back home when her itinerary was suddenly changed. The things she'd said on the way over had surprised him in so many ways. They'd had many conversations before, but that one was the most honest. He couldn't have been anymore vague in his statements but they had been the closest he had come to telling her how he felt. So when she said similar statements, he'd irrationally gotten hopeful that she'd like his attention.

He wishes he had been there when she'd first seen the garden. The workers had cut it close by packing up just before she got there. He had threatened and cajoled them into finishing on time and they had. He'd been sent pictures of the finished product and he'd been satisfied. The only thing he regretted was not being there when she saw it. But that was okay with him because he could imagine it. Then, as if dominos were falling, he'd thought of one thing after another that he knew she would like or appreciate. He'd be walking and would randomly come across something that reminded him of her and he'd send it in a package. That had never been a set plan until after the second package. He can admit that he hadn't thought the whole thing through but he's glad that he had kept it up. There were never responses and he hadn't expected any since he never left a name on the packages. He only hoped that maybe she knew it was him and maybe, miracles could happen and she might feel something deeper towards him.

When it was time to see her again, what he absolutely had not expected was her sadness. He'd concluded that he'd been wrong about her reaction to his gifts. She was never unkind but there was a guardedness in her eyes whenever she looked at him that he knew something was wrong. What else would it be other than the fact that she didn't return his feelings and he was the big idiot that kept pushing her? Even realizing that, it didn't stop him from being a literal stalker. He doesn't think any man out there has watched a woman as much as he watched Mira after that. Most of the time, it hurt to watch her because he knew she was avoiding him. She was never mean. It wasn't in her to be mean to anyone, even if she didn't like them. But she rejected him at every turn. She made up excuses to get away from him. She jumped at chances to avoid being around him. She even stopped going to the lavender garden. It couldn't have been more obvious that she was silently telling him to piss off.

It wasn't that he'd never been rejected before. He didn't exactly go out and hit on random women that often like Des, but he knew rejection in a lot of things. Being rejected by a woman he didn't know at a bar was nothing. Mira wasn't a random woman that caught his eye in a drunken environment. She was everything his world was lacking. All the things he wished he could have were inside her. The aura that always surrounded her always had him staring at her so intently that it was bordering on idolatry. Mira's rejection did more than hurt him. He'd reacted like he always did when he didn't want to get emotional, he buried himself in his work. There was never a short list of things that he needed to handle and he'd jumped into it with single minded idiocy. He'd ended up overdoing it and one day he'd just collapsed. He doesn't even remember getting to his rooms. His last thought was looking into the toilet and picturing himself throwing his handheld inside and flushing it down the drain. Exhausting himself with work hadn't made him forget how much Mira's rejection had hurt at all. It'd only made him realize how pathetic he was and he wanted to stab himself in his chest to try and make the pain stop. He was half out of his mind from exhaustion and heartache.

When he'd opened his eyes and seen the mirage in the form of his torment, he'd thought he'd finally lost his mind. He called her name but she didn't answer. Of course not, when mirages couldn't talk to begin with. It didn't really matter in his drowsy, half blind state anyway and he'd been too frustrated to be quiet either. There had been too much anger and resentment for him to be quiet with a misleading hallucination. He'd never been as jealous as he was of Des in that very moment. To have such a gorgeous copy of his Mira in front of him, he couldn't help himself when he tried to get closer. Close like he couldn't get close to her and that had gotten him angrier. He had almost grabbed her if only to make this mirage see if he couldn't get the real her to see. Until he realized how stupid that was because he would only end up grabbing at air. You couldn't touch a mirage. So he'd asked her why she was even there in the first place. He was not expecting an answer so when he heard Mira's unsteady and trembling reply, his brain had been too shocked to form an answer. Before he could even recover to say anything else she'd run off. The hurt that he had thought was bad before was nothing compared to how he had felt as he watched her flee from him.

His legs wouldn't budge to run after her so all that was left was the package she had brought. The one that was really for her. He almost threw it away. Had been about to throw it out the window so it'd smash inside the box. Then he remembered how he had wanted it to look. He'd been very specific with every detail. It was supposed to immortalize the moment he had fallen in love with her. Though nothing could really compare to the image in his head, the statue had been a good comparison. It was enough to the real thing and it was all he had left besides the daisies that he'd tried to dry the way he had read. It had to be enough. Because it had been clear to him that he could only have an imitation of what he wanted. He'd made himself be happy with that. It _had_ to be enough.

Of course she had refused to come to dinner that night. He didn't blame her at all. He almost missed it too but that was cowardly and he wasn't going to hide. If she wanted to hit and yell at him for his inexcusable behavior, he wasn't going to deny her the chance. He had made himself sit there all evening. Later, when Stella had scared them all out of their minds when she went into a painful labor with Lumina, he was too frazzled to get Mira. Besides, he knew that his presence would only make her more uncomfortable. So he'd sent Des instead and she had been a total pro. As soon as she had entered the room, she had known what to do. He had wanted and loved her more in those moments than he had ever wanted and loved anything. So of course she rejected him again to bring him back to the reality that she wasn't his to want in the first place.

Watching as she spoke so easily with everyone else while he only got a polite smile and avoidance, he'd almost gone mad again. True, he hadn't had a lot of time either because there were things that needed to get done regardless of how awful he felt. But it wasn't until she passed him with only a weak smile while chatting so cheerfully with Sol, that he had snapped. He'd gone mad and he'd been possessed. So like any other hopeless stalker, he had followed them. He wasn't even sure of what he was doing until Sol had seen him standing there. Before he knew it, he had been alone with her and the words just flew out of his mouth. Only to make her look horrified and he had run.

He had been ready to bash his head in the mirror of his bathroom when he had heard her voice call his name. His heart had stopped. She had followed him. Then the resignation had kicked in. He had over done it and she was ready to finally tell him to stop being a lecherous fiend. He had to stop this madness. He had to stop torturing himself and making her feel so awkward. When he caught sight of her staring at the statue he knew explanations were in order, but the bitterness disappeared when he saw her standing in the light of his window. The loveliness of her entire form left no room for him to be bitter. He had not expected her to start crying when the words flew out of his mouth again. There was no depth lower that he could sink into when he saw he had made her cry too.

To find out that she had been avoiding him and staying away from him all this time because she thought he had a thing with Procella was so off the wall that he'd blanched. The idea had been so ludicrous and wrong that he had almost felt sick. When she told him she had always loved him, it was a different kind of snap when he had finally given in and grabbed her. He would never shake his head at Noctis and Stella again.

"This is… this is just inconceivable!"

"Woah! Big words isn't a good sign," mocks Vires.

"You and Mira!" shouts Des.

The shock had worn off and the outburst had finally come.

"Yes," he says simply. Because that's all that needed to be said. No excuses to follow either because he had none and he had no regrets either. He was going to marry Mira and he was going to do everything he could to make her happy. So if Des wanted to hit him, he could go ahead. But it wouldn't change anything because Mira had accepted him. Mira loved him and not Des and that made all the difference.

Des gives him an assessing look and he wonders if his friend will pull his rifle on him. He only hopes that he doesn't shoot him anywhere that could kill him. It's not like he'd never been shot before anyway.

"Not only does that make me old. That makes me want to get married too!"

Instead of a sigh of relief, he doesn't hide the rolling of his eyes in response.


	28. Pareo

**Prompt:** #6 Resign

**Summary:** Time passes and no matter how you may feel, there are things that you are forced to accept.

**A/N:** This is stand alone and is dedicated to my favorite Jane Austen book, Persuasion.

Pareo is Latin for "to submit".

_**Pareo**_

There are things that one can readily and easily accept. Those things that seem reasonable and true. They brought about change and since you have accepted it, the change is achievable. No matter how difficult it may be. There are some things that you fervently reject and no amount of reasoning will change your mind. Then, there were things like this. The things that, no matter what you wanted, no matter what you think, no matter what, are what they are. These things do not bend and do not change. So all you are forced to do is resign yourself to them. Resign yourself to those things that do not allow deviation. Those things that you can no longer control.

It has been nearly ten years since the last time she had seen him. Ten years since she had made the most regrettable decision of her life. If she knew the life that she would lead those ten years without him, she knows that she would have done things differently. Oh, how she would have done things differently. What she had thought was a rational, thoroughly put together decision, had been one the worst possible thing that she could have done. Not only to herself, but to him. It had been blind irrationality. She had betrayed his trust. She had betrayed his confidence. She had betrayed _him_. With her rejection, she had betrayed them both. It was not until later that she would feel the full consequences of her betrayal. Now she felt it as acutely as if someone had stabbed a knife in her heart. Only now, it was too late.

All this time, her heart still flutters at the mention of his name. A name that had been strictly forbidden to be mentioned in her presence was now spoken on everyone's lips that surrounded her. With just the mere syllables of his name, it felt like a taunt. It felt as if they accused her. They reminded her of what she had done and they judged her and mocked her. She would never outlive the guilt and the shame. There was no erasing the regret. There was never any going back. No matter how much she wished.

Ten years ago, she had been young. She had been in love. She had, had her whole life in front of her. All those dreams that only ones so young can have. Her future had seemed so hopeful. That was the beginning, when she had met him. Despite everything, they had fallen in love. A secret love that had them both creeping in empty hallways and meeting under thick trees in private moments that two lovers always seek. They had shared their dreams and they had shared their souls. Even when the war started, they had continued their love affair. Nothing was strong enough to break what they had. Not even the hate of their own people could change the feelings that they had felt towards the other. Until the day that he had asked her to marry him. She will never forget that day. The day she had ruined her life.

On that day, ten years ago, he had cornered her in an abandoned warehouse during a very heated battle. She had just watched her father get killed in front of her eyes. The sorrow of her fallen king and father had made her hysterical. Knowing this, he had taken her away for a moment to compose herself. He had done this even though it was such a great danger to himself. Even though they were on opposing sides. His hand had not been the one to kill her father but she had blamed him anyway. She had placed the blame of everything on his shoulders, even with the knowledge that he was as much a victim of circumstance as herself. That had been her betrayal. So his proposal had been rejected. His love shunned. He had been tossed out into the coldness of their war with a few well placed words spoken in heated emotion. She can never think back on that day without supreme shame. How she wishes she could take them back.

Then the war had ended. A truce had been called but it was as unsteady as it had been before. Maybe even more so now. Only this time, there was such desperation to have one that the terms were sketchy at best. In their desperation, the nations had all signed it. Noctis' kingdom still bore the final crystal and because of that, was proclaimed the sovereign nation on their planet. She had been in attendance on that fateful day that power was converted solely to him. He had not turned in her direction once. He had not even addressed her when she had been presented to him. He had done nothing. That had been nine years ago.

Now, the threat of war was upon them again and their idiotic solution was that a marriage alliance should be formed. So all eligible royalty of the planet were currently assembled in Nihilsomno to see which would gain the honor of King Noctis' hand. It really did not matter which country, only that he pick one outside of Nihilsomno. For it was the accusation that Noctis would not marry to one outside his own race that had sparked the latest debate. Why else would a man of his station go so long without marrying before? She had asked the same thing, but not for the reason everyone else did. If he had decided to marry someone only within his realm that was his prerogative. She would not have blamed him in the least. At least he could trust someone within his kingdom to be a faithful wife. He had her as a lesson learned. That you could not trust someone who was born your rival and every one of these princesses had always been rivals to him and his dynasty.

Despite her best efforts to avoid this insulting display of frivolity, she had no choice in the matter. She was also unmarried and her kingdom was the closest rival to Nihilsomno than the rest. Her absence would have been seen as a deliberate revolt and could therefore spark another war. So she had no choice but to dress up prettily and stand in a long procession to meet the highly sought after, King of Nihilsomno. Looking at the sea of other pretty faces around her, she noted that she was probably one of the oldest. No, it looked as if she _was_ the oldest one there. Royals married very young and she was not very young anymore. She was nearly thirty and that was unfathomable to one in her position. Noctis was a man and could wait but her? She was not past her prime and a great many within her realm were more than a little worried about her unwed state.

There was nervous excitement in the air around her and she wanted to shrink into the background. She would have if she had a choice in the matter. Her nerves were not excited. She dreaded. Her heart felt as if it would burst from the anticipation of meeting him again. How would he see her now? Would he notice just how much she had aged? Would he even be able to point her out in this crowd of beautiful faces? She does not think so. Not when she was a faded flower among blossoms in full bloom. In a show of effort, she pretended to busy herself with fiddling with the folds of her skirt when the blare of music announced Noctis' arrival in the receiving hall. She forced herself to straighten like the proud monarch she was supposed to be and not shake like the leaf that she had become.

There were so many people within the receiving hall that an hour goes by and she does not even catch a glimpse of his head over the endless rows of people. Then another hour goes by and still, she cannot see him. At the close of this last hour, the reception is forced to come to a close and lunch is to be served directly. Before she can recover her nerves, people are walking and talking all around her and Noctis is gone. She had not even been granted a view of his trademark, midnight spiky hair. Now, they were being ushered to the banquet hall where they would all lunch together. She had no appetite and she knew that her presence would not be missed. So she had escaped to her rooms. She spent that afternoon clutching her chest and willing it to stop its frantic beating. As irrationally as it was, she was disappointed even as she was glad that she was saved the awkward encounter. To be reacquainted under such circumstances would have been a disaster, she was sure.

The next day, she had been arranged to spend the morning with a few ladies from other countries. She does not remember where all of them are from and none of them really introduce themselves anyway. They all being rivals, so each were not inclined to be too friendly. Though there was one that was genuinely friendly. Regardless, the morning was passably going well while she listened on snippets of their conversation. A conversation that all revolved around Noctis naturally.

"He is the most gorgeous man," announced one of the younger princesses, sitting on a couch.

Another fanned herself too, as she agreed. This was the friendly one, Caritas. "And so well put together!"

"I do not think there is any man like him him!" cried another.

That was true. There was no man like Noctis and there never would be. He was one of a kind.

"I notice that I was one of the few that he kissed the hand of yesterday," the first one said smugly. "There was a look in his eye when he looked into mine."

"Not just in yours!" protested Caritas.

"He may not have kissed mine, but he definitely held my hand longest," pointed out the third.

"I trust I find you ladies well?" asked a voice that has them all whirling around to face the door.

All except her, who had actually turned in the opposite direction when she had heard the first word.

"Very well, your Majesty," gushed the first, who stood quickly to address him. From the corner of her eye, she noticed that the girl offered Noctis her hand and he takes it.

"I was just on my way to see to a few errands and wondered if any of you would join me," he said politely.

"Oh, Stella does that not sound like a great idea!" suggested Caritas.

It forced her to turn and regard him for the first time. Even after all these years, time could not change how she has always reacted to see him. She forced herself not to gape at just how good time had been to him. He was even more handsome than when she had known him. Even if he was without the knowing smirk that was usually on his face.

"Oh I think you must not have met Stella yesterday," said the first, knowing that she no longer had Noctis' attention.

"I know Stella," he said in a hardened tone. "We have met before."

Three faces turned to look at her in question and she could do nothing but fake a smile.

"You already know each other?" asked the third curiously, looking at her with new light.

"We met at a party a long time ago," she answered lamely.

"I am afraid I only have three extra seats in my car," he apologized to the other three. "So you must decide amongst yourselves."

"I have a few duties that I must check on back in Tenebrae," she said quickly, before the other three could get ugly about the favored position of going anywhere with Noctis.

"Are you sure, Stella?" asked Caritas.

"Yes," she said, looking at Noctis. There was a carefully blank expression on his face that was not entirely inviting anyway. "I am sure. The three of you go with King Noctis."

"You are such a dear," gushed Caritas, who came close and kissed her cheek.

"Just tell me the details later," she whispered so only she can hear. She hoped she sounded sincere.

"I will," Caritas whispered back. They both turn to see that Noctis had already left the room and the girl scurries after them.

As soon as they are gone and the door is shut, she collapsed into a chair. The tears fell down her cheeks as she wept uncontrollably. It should have gotten better after that. That was the worst. She had seen him. That was going to be awkward and now that it was over, they could get on from this. After so many years, they had finally been in the same room. They had already addressed each other. She was able to hear the tenor of his voice. Then he was gone. So quickly. A brief moment and then he had vanished. She did not deserve a proper good bye anyway. It was clear that he had not forgiven her. What reason did he have to? She had been so horrible to him. She had deserted him. She had disappointed him. She had destroyed the faith he had placed on their love. His faith, which was so hard to win, was rebuffed. How could she have done that, when what they had, had was never to be duplicated with another? Such unity between two hearts was something that only happened once, if at all. It was gone and she had no one to blame but herself for its loss.

Now, they were like strangers. Perhaps they were actually worse than that. Their harmony was no longer. No longer to be together again. This was an actual severing of souls. It hurt, most fervently. It was so painful that she could only weep bitterly. He had denied her and will now choose another. As was his right to. All she was left to do was watch the inevitable as it happened. Watch in silent agony as he attached himself to someone else. Then, he would eventually marry another while she would be forced to sit there with the knowledge that she could have been there all along. The place by his side could have been hers and it was her own fault that she was not.

The days following that were tortuous. Day by day, she had to stand by while he seemed to visit each other lady individually. Well, the ones that he preferred of course. Every day saw the departure of an endless line of ladies. She cannot say she disagreed with the ones that he sent off quickly. The only reason she was allowed to stay was because it would be an insult to boot her out of the running so soon. She _was_ still Noctis' biggest rival when it came to power and wealth. No matter that he must despise her. He did not make any arrangements to meet with her and she did not begrudge him that. What was there to say? Call her a coward, but she would rather be denied him telling her he would not be picking her verbally. She was just waiting for the day when someone would be sent to her rooms and give her the farewell speech before she was packing her bags and being on her way. Then there would just be the customary waiting period before invitations for a wedding union would be sent out. She just hoped that he would make a good decision about who he ended up picking.

During these days, she had been in his company more than once of course. He could not avoid her entirely and she secretly relished any moment she could see him. Especially now that he was still unattached. No matter that it pained her too. They did not speak very frequently but they did exchange words. They had been short conversations but the underlying resentment and tension was there and prevented any indepth discussions that they were used to. They used to be able to say anything to each other. Now, they had to be careful not to say too much. She thinks that the meals shared together were the most torturous. In the social settings, it was easy to fall back and let others dominate a conversation because there were plenty of things to distract them. A meal, however, was closed off so one was forced to make conversation or else be noticed as too quiet by everyone else. Those were the hardest for her to take. These past few days, she had heard snide comments leave his mouth about women who were inconstant and feeble. He had expressed his wish to find someone who was in more control of herself and kept to her vows. That had stung, but it was true. Of course he would want someone that was the opposite of her. One who did not show a feebleness of character.

"Don't you think so, Stella?"

"What?" she asked, coming out of her inner musings. She lifts her head to see everyone, including Noctis, staring at her from around the table.

"Men are not the most reliable creatures themselves," explained Caritas to her right.

"But you have to say that in poetry, they are always talking about the fickleness of women," countered one of Noctis' friends across from her. The one that always said the most amusing things.

"Most poets are men," she commented. She could see Noctis' two other friends smirk at her observation and she wanted to smile too. Mostly she wanted to look at Noctis but she knew she could not.

"I guess that's true," he conceded, scratching his scruff blond hair.

"But would they speak of it so endlessly if it weren't true?" commented the one with glasses.

She had to concede that point.

"I suppose to deny that would be foolish," she said with a smile. "But I can this in defense of my own experiences. We only hope that you be patient when we have our moments of rashness. We can be true. Because we love longest, even when all hope is gone."

Her eyes could not help but look at Noctis when she says this and finds that his eyes are not looking to her at all. They are toward the lady on her right. To Caritas, who was far younger, more vibrant and far more certain of her feelings. She was confident. The funny friend she had been speaking to was looking at Caritas as well, while the other two were watching her carefully. They had both seen her look towards Noctis. She contains the sad sigh that threatens to escape her lips and brings another mouthful of food to her mouth that she does not taste.

It was now the last day of this torment. She cannot believe that she is still here. Noctis would announce his fiance the next day. Her rational mind tells her that he may have wanted her there since Caritas clearly favored her and Caritas was the favored of the ones that had been chosen to remain thus far. She had wept uncontrollably the night before, when the sweet girl had come to her, mentioning materials that could only be for a bridal gown. The pain had been unbearable and she had shut off every light within her rooms later so she would not see how pathetically she was crying. She woke up earlier feeling a numb void in her heart. After the flow of tears had subsided, she had resigned herself to the inevitable news. News that would come in the form of a letter that had yet to be delivered to her rooms. She dreaded that letter and wished that she could hide. Maybe she could hide so well that she need never be seen again.

The knock on her door startles her and fresh tears threaten to leak through her eyes once more.

The moment had come.

TBC


	29. Angustus

**Prompt:** #49 Limit

**Summary:** As powerful as he was, even he had limits.

**A/N:** This is a stand alone.

Angustus is Latin for "limited, constricted".

_**Angustus**_

As powerful as he was, in both name and ability, it seemed ironic that he could not conquer something so seemingly simple. Maybe that was the problem. He thought of it one way when it was something completely different. His pride could not accept this defeat but, perhaps it was his very pride that was preventing his greatest conquest in the first place. He really needed to stop thinking of it in those terms. As a warrior, he always thought of things in fighting terms. Winning, conquering, defeating were all admirable accomplishments. They were the only _true_ accomplishments. Anything else was considered a failure. Here, he realized that he could not think of it in those kinds of terms. There was no "winning" persay. So this only left him very confused. He was completely at a loss. Things were not so simple and he thought he was a very complicated person.

_Love was far more complex._

He had always thought he was very attuned to his emotions. So much so that he could control them under the guise of aloofness. It had worked for everyone else. He had become very proficient at it. Outwardly he was uncaring and that was far more acceptable than a simpering moron in his opinion. It was not until Stella had walked into his life that he realized that he had become completely devoid of real emotion. Which was why he was actually feeling so strongly about things that he had not before. Nothing before this was anything like what she brought out in him. Maybe he had suppressed emotions for so long that he forgot how it was to feel something instead of looking at everything so logically. Emotions were most times, illogical things. Men were more logical, as he was always told. Women are far more emotional, but if you told them they were they would take it as irrational and you would soon wish you had never said anything at all. It was a hard lesson to learn. Of course he had learned it the hard way too. Sometimes there were flashes of anger in Stella's eyes that even gave him pause. For someone who looked so fragile, she was unquestionably lethal when provoked.

Stella did not suppress her emotions. Neither did she try to. When she was angry, she was angry. When she was happy, her entire body radiated happiness. When she was sad, you could almost feel a cloud hovering over her features. He was not like that at all. He was also unaccustomed to being around someone so open about their emotions. Snide remarks by his rifle bearing friend was one thing. Being around a female during all cycles was another. It had taken some getting used to. Watching Stella was a mixture both perplexing and refreshing. He liked knowing what she was feeling. He liked that her moods were transparent instead of carefully concealed. Even though he could not quite understand the why's so much. That is where the irrationality confused him. He did not always understand _what_ caused Stella's moods but he has learned not to ask "sexist questions", as she put it. Well, her words had been more colorful but he does not want to relive that particular memory. He hopes that through more experiences with her, he will be better able and better capable of grasping the why's. Perhaps with time. He hopes with time.

For now, it was something that both awed and intimidated him. As powerful as he was, he could not for the life of him, figure out how to win Stella. She did seem to prefer him to their other companions and she did always seem to light up whenever she saw him. It was just that, he knew that she was something that could not be easily won. He could not think of her in terms of "winning" anyway. She was far too complex. Women were always easy because they always wanted him for what he could give them but Stella did not need anything that he had to offer. It had taken him a long time to realize that this irrational need of his own, to always want to be with her was because he loved her. Not only did he need to be around her constantly, just the mere sound of her voice had the ability to sooth him. She controlled his emotions as successfully as he had always thought he could. Now that she was here, in his life, his emotions were hers. It felt like she had conquered him and so he felt the need to do likewise. Only, he was powerless to do that.

To think that someone as powerful as he was, had a limit. Not that he thought he was limitless anyway. He had never thought about having a limit to the things that he could do. Apparently, his limit was her. It was Stella. Without her, he was incapable of being whole. So, in order for him to be whole again, to be limitless, he needed to make sure that she would always stay with him. The only way to do that was to bind her to him in a way that would prevent separation. He could not live with the limits of her absence ever again.

So, the next time they had ventured into a town big enough to have a certain specialized store, he had taken advantage of it. Then, when the opportunity presented itself, he asked her the one question that would signify that maybe, he had a chance to win her afterall.

"Will you marry me?"

When she had burst into tears he had not panicked as any man would probably panic when faced with such strong feminine emotion. He had felt glad. Glad because it meant that she needed him too. She needed him to control her emotions as he needed her to control his. The effect they had on each other was limitless and that is what he wanted. When she shouted her yes and threw herself into his arms, he clutched her to him and vowed to never let her go. Their limit apart was too stifling. Only together, would they have no limits at all.


	30. Imber

**Prompt:** #1 Rain

**Summary:** Let the rains come to wash away the ugliness.

**A/N:** This continues the Adventum Aduro verse. Things come to a head.

Imber is Latin for "rainstorm, pelting rain".

_**Imber**_

The loud, booming rumble of thunder overhead echoes through his chest as he withstands the onslaught of a fierce storm head on. Fat droplets of water beat against his face and his body with unrelenting force. Water splashes against marble and stone, creating a melody of melancholy and chill. The lively city around him has taken shelter within doors but not him. He wishes to be here, out in the open and exposed. He wants to feel the downpour upon his frame. So that maybe, just maybe, it could cleanse him of the things that he wishes to shed. Those things that make him the evil that he is. The chilling sensation he is so used to is back and he waits for the numbness to set in. If it could only keep him numb forever. To be numb was preferable to this agony. This agony was of insecurity and doubt. He did not want to feel this way. It had not been his plan to feel this way and yet, every minute of every day, there it was. This underlying knowledge that maybe he was not where he was supposed to be. That maybe in his defiance of the entities that would stop him, he seems to have lost sight of what really is and what should not be.

What happened to his determination? The one that he had, had those five years he had fought so hard to find her a cure. When had he become this shell of himself? Why did he have to revert to this? He felt as if he were in relapse of some kind. That he was going back to the way he was before he had known the brightness of her light. Before he had known her star, her sun, he had been nothing but black coldness. It was her warmth, or the idea of her warmth that had changed him. Now, he was not sure what was going to keep him warm when all he wanted was to return to the cold blackness that he was used to. At least there, he did not feel inadequate. At least there, he could not feel the complete fear and rejection in her eyes that he had seen when she had finally been show what he really was. That monster that was lurking inside himself. The one that exposed all the sins of his past and the bleakness of his future. His true self that she had stubbornly refused to see before.

What had he worked so hard for? He had wanted every moment and every time. He did not want far between. He did not want other times. The goal had been to save her and then it had been to have her. What he had not anticipated, what he had not thought of was what she would desire. The consideration of her feelings had been neglected. He had not thought of how much she would suffer in those long years he had forced himself to stay away. There were always consequences to actions and he knew that fact more than most. So he should have thought of this. No matter that his actions were meant to be noble and true. He had left her alone. Something that she had not wanted and he could not understand. He should not have left her regardless. True, it had been for her overall protection but he could have kept her updated. There were always ways to go about things differently. He had been foolish. The thought that she might not have wanted him had not even crossed his mind. Now that he has seen how she must see his true nature, he wonders how he could have been so stupid. It was asking too much. He had been too selfish, too greedy.

"What is the nightmare and what is the reality?" he asks himself again as he turns his face up to stare at the weeping clouds. "I wish I were asleep. Asleep so that I could wake and find this not to be true. For our true selves are asleep, lying dormant in the darkness of the night." He sighs to himself. "Would that I could remain in slumber so as not to taint one so divine."

As a blessing, he starts to feel the numbness settle within his bones. He is barely aware of the streams of water now as it streaks down his face and over his skin. There is no heed to the drenching of his clothes either. His gloves had been taken off and as he observes at his hands, he can see that they are starting to turn blue. He knows that soon, the hypothermia will set in and waits in eager expectation of it. For what could it do to him? The cold could not kill a monster who was cold blooded. It would help him get through this feeling of inadequacy.

"Please come out of the rain."

He stiffens at the sound of the voice, but he does not turn around.

"I am sorry to intrude," he says meekly.

"You do not intrude anywhere," she reassures quickly. "Please come inside."

"I am selfish," he confesses, ignoring her plea to look up at the sky again. "I know I am."

"I do not catch your meaning," she says behind him. She is still underneath shelter and he is glad for that. He was the one that deserved to be out here. He was the one that needed to be cleansed.

He turns his body partially to look into her face.

"Because it does not matter what you feel," he says and his eyes darken with intent. "I want you for my own."

Her eyes widen and her shapely lips form an 'O'. He could almost smile at her adorable expression of surprise, if he were not so determined.

"Wicked and evils do not like to share so I will not share you," he tells her. He turns fully now and faces her, ready for any outburst or howl of revolt from her. "You can run from me. You can reject me but your fate will be the same." He takes a menacing step towards her to scare her, but she does not move away. It would confuse him if he were thinking more clearly. "You belong with me and to me just as I belong with you and to you. You can try to hide from me. You can try to find protection but nothing will protect you from me."

"This makes you selfish?" she asks and the question makes him stop.

Sheets of water rain on him before her and he has begun to shake, but this time it is not from the cold. His eyes have long turned red with his predatory mood but now they almost seem uncertain of whether to change to blue at her question. Did she not understand what he was telling her?

"Does it not make me selfish to want you so, despite your wishes?" he asks in reply and he angles his head to her in question. "That I want all of you and not just that. I want _every_ moment and _every_ time and _everything_ all together."

He can feel his eyes change back to blue as he feels the tension drain from his body. He slumps defeated as he continues to stand there and waits for her to rail at him in defiance. It was her right but he has been honest at last and with that bluntness he can feel his energy deplete. Of the many things that he expects from her in reaction, what she does, surprises him. In the recesses of his mind, he had hoped that she would do something like this. To see her do it though, was something else entirely and he feels like the entire world had turned on its axis within that one moment as he watches her.

Stella's eyes look determined and resolute and he fancies her eyes have changed color too. They were not red but an almost golden hue that he almost recognizes. She takes one poignant step out into the downpour of rain and the water seeps into her hair and onto her clothes. He can almost see her flesh through the outline of her clothing but he refuses to look at her body when he can needs to see the look on her face. She takes another step towards him and he feels paralyzed to all else but watching her. Her deliberate steps add to the anticipation of this moment and he wants to savor it and rush it all at once, just so that he will know the outcome of it.

"What will you do now?" she asks, when they still have too much space between them.

In all honesty, he had not thought that far ahead.

"What lengths must I take to ensure that I have you?" he asks back, because he does know this. That he will do whatever she wants. He is starting to tremble now with suppressed want, needing to be unleashed. Having her so close to him was unraveling him and she needed to be warned, but she speaks before he can.

"Will you do whatever it is that I say?" she asks vaguely. Her face is surprisingly neutral.

"I will," he vows, because he will.

She takes another step closer, closing the gap between them, before she turns her head up to look him square in the eye and he braces himself for whatever she requires of him.

"Then never leave me again," she says in a breathy voice and he feels something wash over him that makes him shiver in a way that the cold rain could not.

His heart clenches painfully and he looks down at her with barely restrained emotion. Was that all? Could it be that simple?

She nods her head in response to his silent question. He knows there is a frown on his face as he continues to watch for any sort of regret on her face, but she looks clear and resolute in what she has requested. She _wanted_ him there. What more could he ask for? He feels something spark just beside them but he is heedless to it. Without thinking, he has her face clutched within his hands and he is crushing her mouth against his. Good heavens that it feels as good this time as it did the last time he indulged in this. He was not going to let go this time. There is a sensation like bursts or explosions but he dismisses them in favor of concentrating on how right this feels. If anything, it drives him to kiss her harder and deeper. He is not sure how long he has kissed her when he realizes that she has taken hold of each of his wrists to make sure that he does not let go of her. His lips withdraw just enough to brush roughly against hers, parting her mouth to delve still deeper into the depths of her. Tasting her so desperately when he could not before has him relishing the flavor that only she could have. It is the taste of pure light. His true means of redemption.

Yet even with their mouths fitted together and their tongues entwined, he does not find satisfaction. He needs to feel her. He needs to feel _more_ of her. He will not be satisfied until he can feel _all_ of her. So he releases one of his hands to drag along the wet material along her spine until it is on the small of her back and presses her tightly against him. Bodies pressed as mouths are but he still does not think they are close enough. Can they ever be close enough for him? She helps by stepping onto the tips of her toes and arching her back in such a way to flush herself completely against him. He wraps his arm around her to keep her in place as his lips continue ravish hers relentlessly. His aggression does not frighten her either. It could not when she so aggressively sought his lips and tongue too. She matched his fervor and she was savoring _his _taste equally. He only lets her go when it feels like she is struggling for breathe but he cannot keep his lips from any part of her skin. They slide along her jaw down to her neck as one hand supports her head and his arm remains securely on her back. He does not get to go any lower before her hands are pulling him towards her lips again to begin the dance anew.

He loosens his hold when she pushes away from him and she stares into his eyes with a small smile on her kiss swollen lips. That it is a happy smile brings a warmth into his heart. That those lips were swollen from his own ardent kisses makes his eyes darken again in desire.

"Will you come inside now?" she asks, stepping away but holding onto one of his hands to pull him with her inside.

He has a more pensive look now as he realizes he has forgotten all about the icy downpour. He keeps hold of her hand but does not step towards her. "Is it proper to?"

"And you standing in the rain on my balcony was not?" she asks with a teasing smile on her lips.

"I had to make sure I was close, even if I was brooding," he says sardonically.

Her eyes look compassionate and touched all at once and she squeezes his hand before giving it another pointed tug.

"There is no room for the sun in this," she says, indicating the unrelenting rain still pouring down upon them. She tugs on his hand again and this time he moves forward to go with her as she leads him back into her rooms.

He lets go of her hand as he crosses the threshold of her balcony doors and she hurries off to get them some towels. The gossamer curtains outline his figure as he looks around the room that is hers. While his at Nihilsomno was all black and plain, hers was lively and white. The light within is not harsh and blinding but just right to his eyes as he stands there, waiting for her to return. His feet are planted, unsure of whether he should invade this haven again. He had not had the presence of mind to notice many details the first and last time he had entered this domain. When she comes back into the room she pauses to look at him with something akin to admiration. It sends a queer emotion through him to be looked at in such a way by her.

"You are a picture every woman fantasizes about," she comments finally.

He tilts his head at her comment, not quite understanding what she means by that. When she shivers he immediately reaches behind him to close the door to block the wind. He turns back around to see her peeling off her shirt and swallows thickly. She has just taken off her sopping blouse when she notices him staring at her. Her smile is a little shy but she comes towards him without any hesitation.

"You must be cold," she says. Her hands go to the zipper of his jacket but she makes no move to undo it.

"I have always been cold," he admits softly. This close to her, he can see the goosebumps on her flesh and his hand reaches up to run along them in an effort to warm her with his hands. He can feel the shiver run through her body and he steps closer.

She must take that as a yes because she unzips his jacket and he has to move his arms away from her so she can get it past his shoulders. This takes too long and when she has successfully taken his jacket off and put it down, he grabs hold of her to press against his chest again. One hand automatically weaves itself into her wet hair and brings her head closer to his so he can kiss her forehead, then her nose, then her each of her eyelids and further down to her lips. The kiss deepens faster this time but she does not let him take her lips for long. She moves her own across his face in turn. It feels like a forgiveness with each press of her lips against each feature of his face and he closes his eyes in thanks.

"You should take off your shoes," she suggests, but she does not pull away for him to do so.

"And you need to take off the rest of your things," he says. "You are shivering too much."

"Are you going to leave me now then?" she asks, clutching the biceps of each of his arms.

"It is not right for me to stay," he says.

"It is not all right to leave me either," she insists.

"Stella," he says in warning.

"You cannot leave me," she says. She grabs onto his hand and brings it to her heart.

"What would you have me do?" he asks, alternating between looking at where his hand is and her eyes.

"Stay with me," she whispers urgently, before reaching up to kiss him again.


	31. Non Normalis

**Prompt: **#7 Abnormal

**Summary: **They definitely were not a normal couple.

**A/N: **This expands the Eclipse Series verse.

Non Normalis is Latin for "not regular".

_**Non Normalis**_

_You need to come, right now._

Without even thinking about all the other pressing things at that moment, he teleports to his wife in response to her urgent plea for him. It did not require thought. Nothing was more important than his wife and his children. Everything else was always pushed aside. There was nothing else that truly mattered when compared to the ones that he loved and he loved his family completely. He knew that his wife would not even be calling to him at this hour unless it was something exceedingly urgent. So there is no hesitation when he does come as soon as she calls. He finds her quickly, through their connection and is beside her in the blink of an eye.

"What is it?" he asks immediately. "Is everyone all right?"

He goes so far as to check her person to make sure that she is whole and unharmed.

"Yes, I am fine," she says with a breathy laugh.

"Are you sure?" he asks to reassure himself. He holds the side of her face to look into her eyes.

"Yes," she laughs, reaching up and kissing him soundly. "I am fine."

"What was the emergency then, love?" he asks, looking around the room.

"The children are not here," she says loudly and her eyes rove around the room conspiratorially.

He can hear the barely suppressed giggling that sound close, but muffled.

"Where have they gone?" he asks just as loudly and he raises an eyebrow in question.

"One of them might have teleported," she theorizes, with a long suffering sigh.

"Teleported," he repeats. It had become a code word of sorts for them. It signaled that their little ones were up to something. "Do we know which one?"

"Not yet," she says. "Now they have just vanished into thin air and I am oh so worried!" She says this dramatically while leaning into his chest to hide her chuckle.

"I am sure they can't have gone too far," he says, running his hand through her hair soothingly. He can hear the giggling getting louder. _Do you know where they are, Bright Star?_

_They are watching us from under the covered table this time. They will not come out unless they see you._

"We are here!" cries Lunae as he rolls out from under the table. "Father! We have something we must show you!"

"What is that?" he asks. "Risking your mother's heart for this?"

"Sorry Mother," says Lunae with a thoroughly chastised face.

"That is all right, my dark prince," answers Stella, clutching his collar as they both look at their children. "What was the very important thing that you needed both of us to see?"

"Mina!" cries Lunae as he moves the table covering aside to expose his little sister.

There is a moment of silence before the little bundle of blonde comes rushing out on her feet. As only parents with unnaturally fast reflexes can, Stella moves away so Noctis can teleport in front of them hobbling toddler just in time to catch her as she falls neatly into his arms. He has been thankful of his gifts many times already for helping him prevent many a close call concerning his children.

"She can walk now!" announces Lunae proudly.

Lumina looks up into her father's face and grins a toothy grin in satisfaction of her accomplishment.

"You will stop my heart if you run like that, Sunshine, " he says to the ray of light in his arms. He lifts her in his arms as he rises to his feet so Stella can see her too. "What a delightful surprise this was!"

Lumina drools a happy laugh as she returns his smile before looking at her mother to laugh again.

"You little wonder," cooes Stella as she takes her in her arms and whirls her around.

Noctis bends to lift Lunae so that they are all at the same level together.

"Sorry if we bothered you, Father," says Lunae, looking a little apprehensive now.

"I would rather you bothered me than anyone else, my son," he says honestly. He presses his forehead against the smaller one of his boy's before they smirk at each other. "Besides, it was something I needed to see right away."

How often did a parent get to witness the first few steps of their child's life? He can clearly remember Lunae's, but does not mention it because it still made Stella nervous when she recalled it. Truthfully, he cannot help but be thankful too at how close they had been that time to each having a heart attack.

A wacky knock sounds at the door and they all know who to expect when it swings open a moment later.

"Where are you, Little Misfit?" cries Des coming in through the doorway.

"Here!" cries Lunae.

"And where are you taking Lunae?" he asks, already knowing it was something mischievous. He is not so sure how mischievous when he sees Vires walk in right behind Des.

"Vee!" cries Lumina, reaching her arms out to him.  
"How come I don't get a hello?" cries Des in mock hurt.

Lumina gurgles a laugh and blows a kiss at Des. Something she learned from him a week earlier and was doing to everyone who talked to her in a chiding way. Their daughter already knew how to manipulate people with her charm. She would be lethal when she actually mastered speaking. Stella already tells him that he will be unable to refuse anything she asks of him then. He already knows such powerless. He can never deny his wife anything either. His children were both growing up to be more dangerously charming than even Des. Well, they are learning from the best.

"Cheating me!" cries Des, coming close so that his face is in front of Lumina's. "I want a real smooch, Cheeks."

She leans in and gives him a very sloppy kiss on the nose that looks more like she wants to eat it that has Des flying backwards with a laugh that sounds like both a howl and a laugh.

Des ends up sputtering melodramatically while wiping his nose. "Woah! Now that was a smooch!"

Lumina laughs again before turning her attention back to Vires.

"Only missing one more," comments Stella with a smirk.

"My ears were burning," says Sapien dryly, walking in at last to make the picture complete. His head is already bowed, looking at the screen of his handheld. His closest brother has been rather busy lately and it is good to see him outside of their official meetings.

"Sailin'!" cry both children. He does not think they will ever stop calling his brother that, but Sapien does not seem to mind.

He watches as Sapien looks up then and smiles at each of them warmly. "Cherub, Moonlight. What was the emergency?"

"Mina can walk!" cries Lunae excitedly.

"What!" cries Des. "I've been here a minute longer and you didn't tell me that!"

Lunae rolls his eyes while Lumina smacks her lips in an air kiss to Vires before reaching out for Sapien to hold her. He takes her easily after making sure to put his handheld away in his pocket first. Both children had already broken a few already. Not to mention the many destroyed glass frames. Lunae was still young, but he was already rolling his eyes at Des' comments. He thinks that maybe they needed to be conscious of not doing it in his presence anymore. He does not think the council would appreciate that habit in their young prince.

"Can you show me how you walk, Cherub?" Sapien asks Lumina softly and she nods her head enthusiastically. He kisses her forehead before lowering her down to settle her on the floor.

"Wait! Let me get the camera!" cries Vires.

"I wonder who the real parents are," says Stella smugly as she wraps her arm around his waist while he holds her around her shoulders. He leans his head atop hers and inhales the scent of her hair.

"Maybe they can babysit this afternoon and you and I can run away for a bit," he suggests. Her hand stroking the hairs on his neck tell him that she likes that idea.

"Hey look at that!" booms Vires proudly as they all watch Lumina raise herself to her feet and race five steps before Sapien needs to catch her as he had earlier.

It is another close call that would have caused a head injury to the little ray of sunshine.

"Well done, Cheeks!" praises Des. "We have to celebrate now!"

"Ice cream!" shouts Lunae.

"Not too much!" protests Stella.

"What flavor would you have, Cherub?" Sapien asks Lumina as he lifts her up in his arms again.

She only laughs at him while petting his chin excitedly. They would be picking her flavor when they got there.

"Can we, Father?" asks Lunae.

"Of course," he says with an indulgent nod.

"Please make sure they do not get more on themselves than in their mouths," Stella tells Sapien and Vires. She already knows Des could not be trusted not to have it all over himself too.

The two friends smirk at her before giving her small bows of compliance.

"No promises, Stell!" winks Des.

"Do you want to walk or be held, Dark?" Vires asks Lunae.

Lunae actually stops to think about this before answering. Then he wordlessly raises his arms for Vires to lift him up.

"Faster," Lunae says by way of explanation.

"Why not me, Little Misfit?" asks Des with a mock look of indignation.

"Because you'll probably drop him in your excitement," counters Vires.

"I would not!"

"All we need is you getting two scoops of ice cream on your shirt anyway," Sapien buts in before another argument can erupt.

"Yes! Can't risk another shirt!" agrees Des and everyone rolls their eyes this time.

The five of them leave in a jumble of unorganized chaos and then it is completely quiet in their rooms. He holds Stella tighter against him and she sighs in relief at the unusual silence. Her delicate hand reaches up to grasp his face and pulls him down for a leisurely kiss. Years of practice have made them very good at kissing and he easily parts her mouth to deepen it. There is no rush as they enjoy the feeling of their mouths so fused before he ends it with a last, promising press of lips and leaning back to take a good look at her face.

"Are we actually alone?" she asks hopefully. There is an excited blush tinting her cheeks and he leans down to kiss each in turn.

"Yes," he answers, busying himself with kissing all the skin that he can reach.

"Do you have to go back to your meetings?"

He did, but this is more important.

"No," he says without pausing in his kisses. His hands are moving to the edges of her clothes to take them off her at the same time his lips head lower on her body. He needs to feel more of the softness of her skin.

"How long do you think we have until they come back?" she asks and her hands and lips are not idle either.

"Not long enough," he comments and she giggles in that feminine way that causes reactions in him.

"Our family is a bit abnormal, isn't it?" she asks.

He does not stop his pursuit of simultaneously undressing her and leading her towards their bed.

"True, but I would not have it any other way," he says.

She hums her agreement.

"To think we will soon have another addition in Mira," she says happily.

This time he hums and they have finally reached the edge of their bed where he pauses to look into her face again.

"We can talk about that later, Bright Star," he says. "Right now I would rather show you just now how much I do _not_ have to be at any meetings this afternoon and I mean to do it before our brothers return with our children."

She laughs but does not say anything else as they both fall onto their bed with him on top of her.


	32. Acerbus

**Prompt: **#27 Dark

**Summary: **The world was not what it once was.

**A/N: **This is a continuation of the Prompt #46 Supernatural (Chapter 25 Prodigiosus).

Acerbus is Latin for "dark, gloomy".

_**Acerbus**_

It should surprise him that the thought of him no longer being a reigning prince did not bother him. He would have thought that would have bothered him immensely. Maybe it would have if his priorities had not so altered as they had. What bothered him the most now was that she was being hunted along side him. He always knew he was not quite human but to hunt _her _like an animal did more than bother him. It enraged him. The death of the final Crystal had changed the world dramatically. True, there were traces and small remnants of Crystals scattered throughout the planet, but as a whole, they were now extinct. Instead of finding a suitable substitute to the precious resource they had lost, attention had been given to capturing all those that possessed the powers of the undead. That was what those like him were labeled. They were now the Undead. Those individuals that should have died but had not and therefore possessed abilities that common people did not have.

The shift in animosity had been swift and the opposition was fierce. His first instinct had not been the safety of himself either. Self preservation was not something that he had an abundance of anyway. The very first inclination had been to find Stella and keep her safe instead. His friends had not understood this at first. Their duty had always made his safety their priority but his priority was not her. They had thought he had found something similar to compassion for her similar situation but that had not been it. The simple truth was, he cared more about her welfare than his own. Compassion had nothing to do with it. So when they had intentionally targeted her, he had lashed out in fury. His blind sight had cost him the capture of his friends but all he had thought about at that moment was to save her. They had known he would. Which was why they had wounded her so severely. They had wanted to trap _her_ as a means to get him, but his friends had sacrificed themselves for both their sakes and been taken instead.

He tracked the hunting party to that facility for two reasons. Only there would he be able to reverse the poison that had been spreading through Stella's system and then he could regain his friends. One thing at a time and he was thankful to the whispers and the Light that constantly guided him. He wonders that Stella cannot hear them as well as he can. She confessed to having the ability to see the Light, but she did not hear the voices like he did. While she heard words and short phrases, he could hear everything. She was not guided as pointedly as he was. Regardless, she had learned to trust him unconditionally and he reveled in that too. He needed her to trust him. He needed her to rely on him. He needed her to do those things because if she did not then he does not know how he would get through this. The fight had been possible this long because he was not just fighting for himself. He was fighting for her as well and that was the motivation that drove him on. That was the source of his strength. It was her.

Without even having to mention how dire her situation was becoming, he was very aware of how quickly the poison had been spreading in her veins. Had they had enough time to think and plan ahead, he would not have pushed her. His admiration for her bravery and her inner strength had grown with each pounding step that she endured to keep pace with him. How he had wanted so badly to kiss her for being so strong when he had administered the antidote to the poison. She had cried softly and clung to him so sweetly. His resolve had strengthened. His strength had been rejuvenated. His purpose had become more focused. Then they had finished what they had gone there to do. They had cured her and they had retrieved their captive companions. A small battle had been won, but they were no where near winning the war.

His friends had not been idle when they were being held either. He is thankful to their initiative and their loyalty to him. Even in such dire circumstances, he considers himself well blessed when he thinks about what he has and what he vows never to lose. While being held, they had learned a great many things about the plans of the enemy. It turns out that many with like abilities had already been captured. They were being tested on in various facilities around the planet. Many of these facilities were heavily guarded with massive creatures and armed guards. These people like him were being tortured and he could not tolerate that. Testing did not stop with a few pricks of a needle. He was sure that they were doing more invasive and inhumane procedures. He shutters to think about the things these people were enduring while he was relatively free. From the snippets his friends had caught in passing conversation between their captors, many had already died and the majority of the tests had failed. They had not deciphered exactly what these people were planning to do or their ultimate goal but it was clear that he needed to help those that had been captured. There were not many, but there were enough and he knew he needed to help them.

So here they were. On their mission try to help those like them to gain back their freedom. The facility had been very hard to find and even harder to infiltrate. His friends had, had to stay behind because the dangers made it impossible for those without powers to enter. Instead they were serving as extra eyes and ears, strategically hidden all around the compound to help update them on any possible attacks while they were inside. Through some clever hacking, they had discovered an underground route through the water mains. Water pipes that, though not completely full, rushed water into the facility at break neck speeds. Much like a roaring rapids of unrelenting water. There was nothing so treacherous as water. It was dangerous and it was tricky and he was already apprehensive about allowing Stella to do this with him.

"I am going to be fine," she reassures as they both stand and watch the raging currents inside one of the massive pipes.

"Are you certain?" he asks, looking at her with obvious worry.

"I have you," she says confidently.

"And I have you," he answers with a smirk. Then he looks down at the racing water again. "Ready?"

"Always," and he knows she means more than this. He does not stop to think about the fullness of her meaning before they both jump into the rapid water.

The water is colder than he would have guessed and he forces himself to keep the breath he has held as he fights to gain the surface. His head shoots out as the current rushes them onward and his eyes immediately search out Stella. Her head surfaces not a moment later and he reaches for her as they are both forced to go where the water leads them. As her hand firmly and trustingly grabs hold of his, he squeezes it in reassurance before he looks to see how far they need to go before they reached the very center of the compound.

"The next portal!" he shouts over the roaring of the water and he feels her squeeze his hand to signal she had heard him.

He sees his destination in sight and he closes his eyes as they disappear together and reappear on the other side of the desired door. They could never guess what they would encounter when they appeared again on the other side. So of course it would be bad. Not only were they dripping wet, they were surrounded by a large group of armed soldiers. However, surprise was on their side and they took advantage of that pause to take action. Both of their runes activate in a flash of blinding light and they are both attacking their foes in quick succession. He admits that most of his awareness is on her graceful form than in the fight. Not everyone could still move as fluidly as she could while soaking wet. Water rained from her wet hair as she twirled and twisted in fight and he knew he had never seen anything so beautiful. She was her own supernatural force of nature, seeking vengeance of her kind, their kind. It is not long before all their opponents have fallen and they are the only two left.

They take only a quick second to catch their breath before they are running again. From previous instruction given by his friends, plus the direction of his own instinct and the whispers, he finds his way easily within the maze of the facility easily. Two floors up and down a long corridor. He knows they will find something that will try to stop them once they reach that last corridor and he is prepared, with his shield flashing when the first blow is struck. The force of it causes him to slide a foot backwards when it crashes against his shield. The alarms have started to go off around the compound and he does not have enough time to battle this particular creature. So he uses the full strength of his arsenal and rams them all into it's massive, scaly body and watches as it gets pinned against a metal wall. It manages to spit out a wad full of thick green blood before the life drains from its body.

"Come," he says to Stella as they pass the dead corpse and hurry towards the metal doors that hold their fellow men.

It is her turn to show her ability as she swipes a particular spot on the door and it comes crashing down at their feet.

"Very nice," he says and she chuckles.

"You are not the only one who can work quickly," she chides.

They both jump through the door, ready for anything when they come across two men in labcoats about to administer some concoction into the tied up victim on the metal table.

"Get away from him," he orders with a growl. He can feel his eyes turn red as he glares at the two men. For added emphasis, he causes his shield to sparkle menacingly. Both men back away in fear and awe. "Stella." He says and he gives her the honor of tying them up as he goes about freeing the weakened man on the table.

"You… I know you," the man says weakly as Noctis puts his arm around his neck to help him this feet. Behind them, he can hear the groan of pain from the two scientists and can almost smile at how tight Stella must have tied them together.

"We will get to that when we get you out of here," he tells the man as they make their way to the door. He looks up to find the two scientists dangling precariously over a table full of syringes. Syringes that were currently facing up towards the tied up men.

"I may or may not have tied you well enough to keep you up there," she says with a shrug. "I am not the best knot tier."

He would smirk if they were not in such a hurry to leave. There was no way of knowing the condition of this man here until they were able to successfully get his friend to take a look at him.

"I can walk on my own," reassures the man weakly.

There is not a moment to protest. They have to move. When the fresh wave of new foes appear, the man surprises the both of them by raising his hand before his face and thrust it towards the soldiers. Waves of Crystal flow from him and knock all the guards back and they out of their sight.

"Very impressive," he complements and the man gives a small nod.

"I have some payback to give," the man replies.

He can understand that. The rest of the way, Stella and he do most of the fighting until they are in the very spot that leads to the water mains heading out of the compound.

_Something is coming._

"Something is coming," says Noctis aloud. He can feel it coming closer to them, but it is not quite where they are. It is already inside the water. "It is in the pipes."

"What can we do?" asks Stella.

He can hear more shouts rushing towards them.

"Whatever it is, we must face it," he says grimly.

"Along with torrents of water," explains Stella to their new member.

"Is it just the one?" the man asks.

He nods.

"Guess we had better take our chances," comments Stella.

"Can you teleport?" he asks the man.

"I did before, but I'm not sure now," the man says. He closes his eyes and disappears.

"Well I guess that means he can," he comments dryly.

"Let's go."

"Wait," he says, stalling when he should not be.

"We have to go now," she says, looking at him.

He does not understand why he wants to stop right now but he can see she expects this somehow. Why as it that at moments like this, he felt the urge to tell her things that he was too scared to tell in more quiet moments? He shakes his head as he gets back into focus. Nodding quickly, they are both splashing in icy water again and the threat is closer. He can sense it moving fluidly through the raging water towards them.

"There!" shouts Stella as she manages to rise enough out of the surface of the water to point.

Whatever it was, it was long. It reminded him of a sea serpent and he does not like what the whispers are warning him of. He grabs hold of Stella and pulls her to float behind him, placing himself between her and the serpent. His shields go up and the thing crashes against it, hissing over the loud roaring of the rushing water. He can see the flashes of orange from Stella's rune and feels a flare of heat rush past him and hit the creature. It screeches but does not stop trying to beat against his shield.

"How much farther?" he yells as Stella continues to fire at the serpent.

"I can almost see starlight!" shouts the man, who is farther along the way.

"You're going to have to teleport once you get close enough!" he shouts back. "Stella, come here."

She reaches for him and they both have to struggle to reach each other and keep whatever that thing is a safe distance away from them at the same time. After a few tries, she manages to latch onto his neck.

"As soon as we get out the water, that thing will not stand a chance."

"You are so confident?" he asks, looking into her face.

"Of course," she says, giving him a quick peck on his cheek. It is so unusual a thing that it startles him. "It is not our time to die."

"No, it is not," he says agreeing with her. "Not when I have not had a chance to tell you I love you."

He does not wait for her answer. He does not even wait for her to react, before he teleports them to the land as soon as he sees the opening. A moment after they reappear on the soil, the serpent rises above the water and their next fight begins.


	33. Profundus

**Prompt: **#47 Deep

**Summary: **The moment has finally come.

**A/N/: **This is the second part of Chapter 28 Pareo of the #6 Prompt, Resign. This plot is heavily inspired by Jane Austen's Persuasion.

Profundus is Latin for "deep, profound".

_**Profundus**_

The letter is clutched tightly in her hands but she has not opened it. If it were ordinary paper she is sure she would have torn it by the tightness of her grip. Of course it was not ordinary paper at all. It was the extremely expensive and rare kind of parchment that required a certain ink pen and was near impossible to rip. She has not even gotten a chance to read it because the letter had not been the reason behind the knock on her door. When she had gone to answer the door, she found someone had already slipped it in from underneath the door. It had been Caritas knowing, come to give her news. News that had her heart pounding and her heart racing. It left her in a strange haze of denial. It was not true! Yet the sincerity in her friend's eyes mixed with the feelings of her heart, told her it was indeed true. Impossibly true.

"I am confused," she says, looking at her glowing friend. A halo of happiness surrounds her today.

"I am too!" cries Caritas with a nervous laugh. "But I feel that this is right. Can you believe this is happening?"

"No," she answers honestly. "I really cannot even fathom this." She is having a hard enough time breathing. Let alone trying to figure out how this had happened. How had she missed this very major detail during her stay? Had she been so self absorbed that she had been blind to the things going on around her? Apparently so and she had never felt more selfish than she did at that moment. This was a complete surprise and it should not have been it seems.

"You have a letter, Stella?" Caritas points out curiously with a tilt of her head towards her hand. "There were no others given out this morning."

"You are sure?" she asks in surprise. For a moment she had thought the note would say what Caritas had just told her. She turns the envelope in her hands for a moment in apprehension.

"Which means I should leave you be to read it," comments Caritas, rising from the couch an heading towards the door.

"Thank you," she replies distantly. This was just a shock all around. It was not what she had been expecting this morning when she had resigned herself to her fate. Now she had no idea what that fate might be. Her world was turning upside down. "You are going to be a beautiful bride, Caritas."

"I hope so," responds her friend with a nervous sigh. "I want to be my best for him."

She manages a small but sincere smile before her friend leaves. Once the door closes, she stares down at the letter in her hand again. Turning over the envelope, she stares at the seal on the wax. The thick, red wax revealed the crest of the Caelum family and her heart felt as if it would beat right out of her chest. All the other announcement letters had all been sealed with the Nihilsomno insignia, never the Caelum dynasty's. There was only one author who would have the right to use that seal. There was only one person who could have penned the note that lay inside it. She can scarcely hope at anything as she gathers enough courage to crack the molded wax and pull out the expensive parchment contained within.

Her hands are trembling as they carefully unfold the letter and she is glad that she is already sitting down, else her knees would have buckled. She has to take several breathes to calm herself before she can unfold the elegant letter. Her heart rate increases further when she recognizes Noctis' slanted, masculine font on the paper. The distinct whiff of his cologne assails her senses and she could almost feel his presence within the room. She could picture him writing at his desk and then, she slowly began to read while she half dreaded and half hoped.

_This is no longer bearable. It feels as if you have pierced my very soul. Leaving me in half agony and half hope. Unjust I may have been in my treatment of you. I know I can admit freely to you that I have been weak and resentful, but I have never been inconstant. To have listened to you agree with the feebleness of men and the eternal, often hopeless devotion of women, I realize that I can no longer keep silent._

_I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own than when you nearly broke it ten years ago. In all my life, I have loved none but you. It is for you alone that I think of in my future and all my plans. Have you not seen this? Could you have disregarded me so utterly that you have not gathered that this entire scheme has been to bring you back to me? How else could I have seen you again otherwise?_

_The appointed time has run out and I am now uncertain of my fate. My anxiety is such that I almost cannot write. A word, a look from you would be enough. I wait now. Tell me that I am not too late. That such feelings as we had are gone forever. If it be too late, you leave at the mercy of cruel mistress Fate's. I must marry and I can only marry you. O Sweet Perfection, will you accept my heart this time?_

_- N_

The letter is so tightly clenched within her hands as she finishes, that it crumples. She wants to crush it to her heart and infuse these words forever upon her heart. This moment, this rapturous confirmation of love as devoted as her own love. It needed to be remembered and forever savored. She can finally understand how much of his hand had aided in their re-acquaintance. Because he loved her. He has loved her all along. Despite his wounded pride and shattering disappointment, he has been ever faithful and true. Now, he was waiting and there was only one answer that she will give.

Her feet echo in the hollowness of the marble hall as she rushes headlong to find him. She fists her skirts, along with the note, as she runs. It was as if the other half of her heart were guiding her steps. It was calling to it's mate in urgent yearning. It must be. She does not know the castle well enough to run as she is but she knows. Something inside her knows that her steps were bringing her closer and closer to him. That is all that matters. To be together again and let nothing ever tear them away again.

Out of breath from nerves and exertion, she finds herself in front of two large, black double doors. Without even stopping to compose herself, she is pushing with all her weight into opening them and all but stumbles into the vast throne room. The sounds of her inhalation fill her ears as she catches sight of him at last. He had been in mid conversation with his rifle bearing friend. The one that had so engaged her in such a conversation that had stirred such restless motivation. She was indebted to him in more ways than one. She would always be thankful.

"We can finish this later," Noctis says, but his eyes do not stray from hers.

"Yeah, of course," is the reply before his friend is coming towards her to leave them.

"Congratulations on your marriage to Caritas," she says with a watery smile.

"I think I'll be saying the same to you in a bit," he answers with a wink and then closes the heavy doors behind him, leaving her alone with Noctis for the first time in ten years.

It has been so long that she almost feels shy now that they are secluded. Each of them regard the other in turn and the air in the room is suddenly charged with eager anticipation. There is a sensation that has so long been absent within her heart that she feels weakened and rejuvenated at the same time. She feels as if she has been brought back to life. Her heart was no longer dead. The carefully monotonous look is no longer shielding the man that she had known so long ago. She can actually see _him_ now and his expression is unguarded at last. Raw and real and that is the moment she knows. He has forgiven her and that, that is the most profound emotion of peace one can have. She knows her love not to be in vain and now, he will too.


	34. Perscrutor

**Prompt: **#19 Analyze

**Summary: **It was an interesting case study.

**A/N: **This is pretty much a one shot.

Perscrutor is Latin for "to search through, examine".

_**Perscrutor**_

An avid student was never something she would ever profess herself to be. As a princess and noblewoman she had, had a thorough education to be sure. She had many suitable and admirable accomplishments that she had accumulated over the years. If she were ever to list those on paper, her repertoire would be very long. It might actually impress, but this in no way made her a very good student. She was not a very studious sort of person to most things. Her attention span had always been short. Her lessons were always far too long. They seemed endless. Once she mastered one subject, there was always another to replace it. There was always another topic, another subject, another bit of information that she absolutely had to know. Even though the why was always a puzzle to her. So, she studied and tried to study very hard just so that these endless lessons would be no more. If her brain were a hard drive, how much capacity would she even have left for the things that she found more enjoyable in her young life? It must be quite full. Sometimes it felt like it would burst with all this needless information that she had already filled it with.

What did it say about her that she can still be considered a student now that she had reached adulthood? In a very unconventional sense one could say too. Her actual studies had ended long ago, when she had taken up her rightful duties as a princess. This particular lesson was also entirely of her own making either. It was a deviation of something she had learned in her studies of human biology. A subject she had not exactly excelled at either. She could not say she had even liked it. Not that she found herself to be the professor of this particular deviation either, but the subject was of her own choosing. Something she elected instead of having someone else choose it for her. This made all the difference to her. She does not think she has ever studied something so thoroughly when compared to anything before it. Even her short attention span seemed extended when in the session of this remarkable, enthralling class. Nothing before had ever so fascinated and intrigued. It did not matter how much she learned, she always craved more. It was an endless study that she did not mind in the least. Even should this lesson go on as long as she lived, she does not think it would ever stop surprising her. This unique lesson of the senses, which her biology tutor had never mentioned could be so ensnaring. All at once all of her senses had been enticed. There was never the inclination to stop the stimulation either. It was quite addicting, not to mention arresting.

Sometimes, she was not even aware that she was examining Noctis so intently. Her eyes seemed to stray to his figure and remained fixed at any given moment. He seemed to be an abundance of dark, extreme contrasts with many layers that she struggled to solve. A more complex puzzle, she had never seen in her life. Her ultimate score would be to finally look upon the secret person so protectively hidden within his emotional armor. For it was that very same being that so completely captured both her mind and her heart and all her senses. Her eyes were captivated first and everything else was captivated as they went along. That is, the further her studies took her.

Equally stimulating was the fact that he studied her as intensely as she did him. To be the object of fascination to the very one you found so fascinating made it all the more enjoyable and exciting. Their studies had begun with close observation first. They had watched each other intently at any convenient opportunity. Even when the opportunity was not so convenient. Such close examination had her regarding every subtle and obvious movement that he made. The flash of his eyes, the clenching of his hands, the precise movements of his arms and the steady strides of his legs. Even the rich almost lyrical sound of his voice. He was very sleek and dangerous and a marvel to behold. She already knows she will never tire of studying him so fervently. Sight and touch were honed in.

Then of course, it naturally progressed from there. Observation could only suffice for so long before it was replaced with another need, yet another urge. Curiosity and longing pushed them toward what she had come to view as inevitable. She soon found that she wanted to touch him and have him touch her in return. Her sense of touch begged to be indulged. This soon became just as important as always needing to look at him. It became essential. The amount needed had also started to increase in stages. They had brushed hands first. His gloves had been unusually absent from his hand and the contact of his skin touching hers had been electric. The shock as their shared energy entwined caused a sensation that was most pleasing. It increased the craving. Soon he became bolder with this newness. He found excuses to touch her lingeringly, much like they had for studying each other, until he did not even bother anymore. Which in turn, made her inclined to touch him unhindered as well.

It carried on to the next stage of closing the remaining distance between them. Just touching with their hands soon became insufficient. They had roamed over safe zones but were soon moving across the line to not so safe. It was a tease and a dance and the lessons became more advanced. He would brush his shoulder against hers. Then she brushed her chest against his and one day, their hands no longer were the only means that they touched. Lips came into the equation. Even that came in it's own stages. A quick impulsive peck. A lingering kiss of soft brushes. A pointed press of plumpness. The closeness brought another sense to be indulged, scent. Being so close to him when they began to linger closer to each other gave her an opportunity to catch the faint, natural scent of him. Then they needed to taste.

The last sense to be satisfied was unavoidable after all the rest had been obliged. When she thinks about it now, she should have realized at the very beginning that this lesson of the senses, this class was one she would never be given an actual final exam. Even when she finally did solve each level of Noctis' complex defenses. There was always something new to learn about him. She was still not an avid student on any other subject, but the thrill of knowing the surprises and endless stimulation to her five senses had no end gave her joy. There was never a graduating from this and she found she did not mind it at all.


	35. Caecus

**Prompt: **# 20 Glare

**Summary: **There are certain things that you think are mysterious, but they really are not, when you let yourself see through the glare of your perception.

**A.N: **Inspiration from the movie Ladyhawk starring a very young Michelle Pfieffer, Rudger Hauer and a very, very young Matthew Broderick. This is part 1/3.

Caecus is Latin for "blind, sightless".

_**Caecus**_

He would be the first to admit that he had a very active imagination. Okay, maybe more than an active imagination. If he did say so himself, he'd say he had a _very_ shrewd imagination. How else would he have escaped the inescapable dungeons of Nihilsomno? That tyrant of a man, The Overlord, who ruled the country under his thumb in the mysterious absence of the prince. They said mysterious. He said conspiracy. Something had happened and the Prince had disappeared completely. It'd also been a few years since the Prince disappeared. Nobody believed him to come back. Most thought he was dead. There were rumors but those who dared spread such rumors quickly found themselves within the dungeons below the city. Nasty place that was. His cellmate had been a crazy man who had slit people's throats just because he thought it was funny. The man had been harmless otherwise and kinda fun. Especially when he had no knife to slit his throat in his sleep. He himself had been down in that pit for stealing. What else was a guy to do when the people were starving? Why else would he be allowed to hold his rifle so proudly if he wasn't allowed to use it to get some food? Things have been very bleak since the Prince had vanished, but he didn't find he cared too much about the guy since he wasn't one of those kinds of guys to go be heroic. He was a thief and a very good one. Stealthy and quick. Which was where he had gotten his name. It was also how the idea had come to him one day while he was in his cell awaiting execution. A mouse had gone down the drain pipe and being himself a small guy, he followed the mouse. Yeah, they had many executions now and used just about any excuse to do it. These were desperate times and nobody is as desperate as a mouse to escape death.

It was _not _a pleasant way to exit any establishment, but it had worked and he had escaped. He'd followed the mouse! If he were claustrophobic, he's sure he'd have died but he wasn't. He thought of it in terms of, he's sure he was just as squished coming out of his mom. He'd escaped that unscathed. No reason to believe he couldn't do it within those tiny, tiny drains. No matter how much it had hurt to squeeze, wiggle and slide through, he'd made it! Sure, he'd have bruises and scratches for days but he was free! Free at last!

So, he was wanted now and managed to escape into the dangerous plains of VallisAcerbus. After two days he reached a small wasted town that really just consisted of a tavern for any travelers. Not many of those either from the sparseness of the place. Of course, that is where they had figured he'd be headed once he had escaped. So they were there when he arrived. Cloaked and ready to capture him when he had stopped in to get a drink. In the havoc that soon followed, a mouse did _not_ give up without at least a little fight you know, he had slashed across the face of one of the guards. Not a good idea but hey, it'd been an accident. The guy didn't seem to think it was an accident. Even after he had apologized! Nope, he then took out his long sword and was poised to separate his head from his neck when he stumbled onto him instead of his sword. He didn't get to witness most of the action having been pinned by the now dead guy but he heard lots of shouting. It sounded like the guards were surprised and then the familiar sounds of someone dying a very not so good death. By the time he managed to wiggle out from under the giant of a guard, the fight had been over and he had sprinted to the nearest hiding place. He would have made it too if it weren't that pesky bird that did a swan dive and nearly stabbed that beak into his brain. Just as he'd covered his head with his arms, he realized belatedly that the darn thing hadn't been trying to skewer him. It had been trying to land upon the arm of its master and that is when he saw the reason behind the chaos a moment ago.

The man he looked saw right then was definitely not your typical kinda guy. Even if his eyes hadn't been glowing red, he still wouldn't have pegged him for a guy you ran into every day. He was goth looking with all his black leather and that flamey looking black hair. There was just something not natural about this guy and it was kinda cool if he weren't always so scared the guy'd lose his temper and take his head off. It hadn't crossed his mind that this guy might not have intentionally saved his hide but he was thankful nonetheless. Dark man wasn't exactly a great conversationalist either but he didn't really object to him tagging along behind him on his massive beast of a thing that might have been a horse.

Just from looking at the guy you could tell that things were just not quite right. Not that he looked deranged or anything, but there was just this presence around him that made being around him a little nerve wracking. Since he had no other people to call friends and the guy obviously only had that thing he rode and the bird, which he later discovered was a hawk, he figured the guy could use some company. He doubted the man had, had any real human interaction in a long time. Definitely one of those kinds that brooded. It didn't take a genius to guess that strange things happened around this black clothed stranger too. When Mouse asked what his name was, there'd been a sardonic smirk before he told him to address him as, 'Captain'. It sounded like an inside joke that he wasn't in on so he let it slide. If the mystery guy didn't want to share his name, he'd leave it at that. Like he was one to talk anyway, he'd told everyone to call him 'Mouse'!

Anyway, that first night he'd caught a glimpse at just how _strange _things could get. Captain had warned him not to go outside their little stable shed (more shed in his opinion. Pathetic structure that it was). The shed which belonged to a very creepy lookin' farmer who had said they could sleep in it for just the one night. Why did everyone and everything look so creepy when he was around Captain? Captain didn't look creepy. So… because mice and massive horse like giants got on _so _well, Captain had advised him to sleep next to the behemoth. Captain, who then disappeared into the next stall had growled another warning. #1 Don't wake him up as he's liable to cut off his head before realizing who he was. #2 Do not go outside to try and sneak off. All fair enough and very simple for him to understand. He liked that about Captain. The man was direct and authoritative and didn't mince or waste words. He who rambled on endlessly and stuttered when nervous could appreciate that. Besides, Creepy Farmer + Creepy surrounding forest = Downright Frightening in his book. He'd stick with Captain.

So, he was tucked next to a temperamental beast that just might have crushed him if it rolled over too fast. But at least the horsie wasn't creepy! So he'd decided that Captain knew what he was talking about and he really didn't fancy losing his head either. He'd felt a smidge safer next to the horsie anyway and had konked out a few minutes later. He _had_ just escaped an inescapable prison, near avoided getting killed and then found a new friend. That's enough to tire a guy out.

Creepy farm was even creepier at night! Sometime when the night was as black as it could get, a howl woke him. He knew that howl. That was not a howl to be ignored in his experience. Horsie was still knocked out without a care in the world, which seems more than a little weird to him. The behemoth had been all quick to attention when Captain was around and now he's out cold? He'd shakily cocked his rifle with a hiss to Captain and stepped out into the open where the firepit was. He'd just started feeling the warmth of the flames when he heard a growl and something heavy tackle something even heavier and a scream. He'd whirled around just in time to see _the _biggest wolf he'd ever laid eyes on, biting into Creepy Farmer's neck. Creepy Farmer who had been screeching like a banchee and Mouse noticed the major honkin' axe that he'd had in his hands.

Flight was a Mouse's way of escape and his fright was more than enough motivation to drop his rifle and high tail it back to the stable and scream for Captain. Creepy Farmer's screeches had died, which could only mean one thing and he was sure he and Captain were next! Horsie had yet to even stop snoring and he started screaming for Captain.

"Captain! Wolf! Captain!"

He figured since he screamed so loud on approach that Captain's earlier warning of accidentally killing him wasn't a factor anymore. But when he got to the stall where Captain was sleeping, Captain wasn't there. Before he'd managed to have a panic attack, he saw something that made him stop. Captain may not have been there, but his gun sure was. Well, he hadn't even known Captain had one but he was sure glad it was there! His shaking hands took him awhile to click off the safety and he'd just swung the heavy thing up to aim when a hand stopped him. Not Captain's hand. Not even a man's hand. _Her_ hand. She turned her hooded head to look him in the face and he'd gaped like an idiot. The lady looking at him was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. He couldn't see anything but her face since she was wearing a long black hooded cape. Her eyes though, were so strikingly blue and her face so bright and angelic that he'd dropped the gun.

Once she was sure that he wasn't gonna reach for it again, she walked towards the stable entrance.

"Don't go out there, my Lady!" he cried, trying to grab her. "There's a wolf! Huge wolf!"

"I know," she answered softly, indicating to him that he shouldn't be yelping so loud. "Stay here," she ordered, but her voice was still a hushed, relaxed whisper. She walked fearlessly towards the fire pit and he gaped like a fish again when the wolf approached her. Her small hand reached down to pet it lovingly and the wolf and her walked away. They walked together so closely that the edges of her black cape brushed against its body.

"I'm dreaming! Oh dear skies, I'm dreaming!" he cried, losing sight of them in the darkness. "There are just some things that… Egads! I have to be dreaming!" He was hyperventilating.

"You _are_ dreaming," he heard her voice call and he was done. He fainted straight away.

Startled awake didn't quite cut it. He woke up leaping a few feet away to the amused smirk of Captain. Captain who had poked him to wake up too darn early the next morning. Perched upon his shoulder was the Hawk and if he didn't know any better he'd say the Hawk was smirking at him too. The creepy factor that had surrounded everything last night seemed gone and he felt safe now. To look at Captain then, he'd have thought everything had been a dream. It didn't look like he'd left the stable since he got up from his previous crouch in front of him and went to the other stall to return while folding up his blanket. A blanket that he remembered Captain carrying in there the night before.

"Captain?" he asked hesitantly.

"I thought mice slept quietly," mused Captain sarcastically. It sounded like he was talking to the Hawk, who was now on Horsie's saddle watching him.

"I do!"

"You were tossing all night and I had to keep you down," Captain commented somewhat impatiently. Which brought him to the fact that maybe he _had _been dreaming since he hadn't fainted next to horsie, which was where he had leapt from just now. "We have to get going now." Captain's command had him snapping to attention.

There wasn't anything else to say so he merely scratched his head and helped Captain pack their stuff and they were one their way again. He'd wanted to ask if Captain had talked to Creepy Farmer before we left but since he had _no_ desire to see Creepy Farmer again, he didn't. When he'd looked at the fire pit before they left, there'd been no blood or body where the wolf had attacked Creepy Farmer. Captain had hefted him onto Horsie to ride behind him and they'd been on their way. His mind had been a whirl of questions and soon he'd caught himself almost drooling on Captain's shoulder from dozing off. Glad he caught that because he's sure that Captain would have knocked him on my fine fanny if he had. He wasn't sure where they were going and he wasn't very familiar with the territory of VallisAcerbus anyway. He'd go where Captain went until he could figure out what he was going to do with himself. They made a few stops during the day but it seemed like Captain had a firm schedule to keep up and they were quickly on their way again.

It wasn't until some point in the afternoon when Captain wanted to stretch his legs and decided to walk beside Horsie. So Mouse joined him. Captain walked while holding the reins of Horsie and his face looked distant but stern. Now that the day had passed and his head had cleared some, Mouse felt the need to tell Captain about the night before.

"What a night!" he cried. "I'm glad to get away from that Creepy Farmer. What happened last night was _the _most terrifying thing I'd ever seen."

Captain made no reply but he also hadn't told him to shut up so he'd kept going.

"Then there was the Lady," he'd continued and had to think back a little in order to concentrate on her face in his mind. He almost got dreamy recalling her face and her eyes. "She was the most beautiful women I'd ever seen in my life. She had those kinds of Crystal blue eyes that seared a man's heart and then her voice! It was…"

"She spoke?" asked Captain, cutting in.

Mouse turned to blink at the sudden interest in Captain's eyes, which had been fixed on him very intensely just then. He'd gone from thinking Captain had been ignoring him to realizing that Captain had been paying attention during his entire rambling session. For some reason he felt embarrassed at this.

"It was like a melody of breezes," Mouse explained after he'd gotten over the surprise. "I asked if I was dreaming and she said I was."

He watched Captain smile to himself.

"I'm not crazy! This happened!" he cried sounding very indignant. Captain was mocking him.

"No, I believe you," reassured Captain with a small smile on his lips. The kind of smile that said he knew a secret. Which he was sure Captain had many. Not only had his voice sounded far away, he'd moved his arm so that his faithful Hawk could be face to face with him. It looked like he was reenacting something. "Would it not be a wonderful thing if I could touch her and ask her, her name?" Captain smiled at the Hawk as Mouse watched him with a sad feeling growing from the look on the other man's face.

Then, quick as a flash, the dreamy look vanished from Captain's face and a dark look glazed over his eyes as he glared off ahead of them.

"We only have an hour of daylight left," Captain said and it looked like he wanted to grind his teeth in anger. His voice had hardened completely and he was really scary looking. "We must reach that mountain before dark."

Feeling like something just happened, Mouse didn't know what to do after watching the strange emotions on Captain's face. He'd looked like a tragic hero from fairy tales in that moment. The kind that got tortured and had all sorts of bad things happen to them when they were the most noble and brave men in legend. The ones that definitely didn't deserve any of the bad things that had happened to them. Even he'd been wise enough to keep his trap shut the next half hour so that Captain could have a peaceful walk as they made their way to their would be home for the night.

"Captain? Where are we going?" he found himself blurting out as Captain started to settle in for the night. He'd been watching him unsaddle Horsie and soothe the beast.

"Nihilsomno," was the short reply.

"WHAT!" he screeched and almost tripped over his own feet. "I can't go back to Nihilsomno!"

There was no reply so he went on.

"I just escaped from there!" he cried.

"You are going to show me how to get inside the castle," explained Captain.

"What? How did you know I know something like that?"

"Because you are the one they are all looking for," said Captain and he had to stare at his pointy hair in amazement.

"How did you know?" he gaped.

Captain stopped petting Horsie and looked at Mouse. His eyes were not red but blue. A deep kinda blue, like the ocean. Mouse gaped at the eye color change, questioning his sanity after last night and what Captain just said so he hadn't started ranting. There was a stern, resolute and passionate look on Captain's face and in his voice when he spoke.

"I _know_," was all Captain said by way of explanation and that searching look told Mouse that Captain really did. "You will get me in to find the Overlord, Mouse."

"Why do you want to see him?" Nobody _wanted _to see the Overlord.

"I am going to kill him," Captain answered frankly. He almost looked smug about it. He's sure he would have been too if he were half as skilled as Captain was with the just about every weapon imaginable.

"You're insane if you think you can get to the Overlord and that I'm gonna help you do it," cried Mouse, starting to back away from him. "I ain't one of those honorable sorts. I'm a scoundrel, Captain! So if you've a fool's mission, I'll be on my way."

He'd been proud of himself for being honest for once. Being a habitual liar made this a very defining moment for him. That and he managed to tell off a very powerful man too. So he'd had his back straight and was walking away when he felt a whooshing sound by his ear as Captain's broad sword flew past his head to embed itself in the tree in front of him. Turning very slowly, he'd blinked at the still shaking sword stuck solidly into the trunk of the tree with its hilt almost clanging the side of his head. Oookay, so that had been very close and no he was not ever going to walk away from Captain like that again. So he turned around quickly, tried to casually lean against the sword to steady it and offered to get some firewood.

Captain hadn't said a word and his expression hadn't even looked menacing. He'd just been watching him, almost amused as he'd stuttered about the firewood and he'd just been about to hobble away on weak knees when Captain's voice stopped him. As he heard the crunching sounds of Captain approaching him from behind he'd wondered if Captain was going to kill him then. When firm hands took hold of him, he knew he probably should have fought but what was the use? Either Captain's firm but not exactly harsh grip or his sword? He'd rather the grip. Bruises healed. He didn't want to die from being chopped up into little pieces. those didn't heal. Things happened pretty fast after that and he can't say he was really hurt, but Captain hadn't exactly been nice either.

It wasn't until the night was as black as can be and Captain was no where in sight that he realized he was cold. Cold and there wasn't a thing he could do about it. Captain sure was clever because he'd known that Mouse would have made a mad dash once he'd gauged that Captain had fallen asleep. So he'd tied him to a tree for the night to, "think over your decision" as Captain had put it, before walking back to where he'd tied Horsie. Which was where he was probably sleeping. If he squinted hard enough, he could see the outline of Horsie's massive body. He couldn't see Captain but the last he _had _seen of Captain, he'd settled down on the other side of Horsie.

The sounds of the forests at night were more than a little bit terrifying and he'd be lying if he said it was all right. It was also cold, but not freezing and he'd definitely been in worse before. Captain had also not exactly tied him up where he was easy prey if say another wolf came along. Plus his legs were free and it'd be easy to kick any predator. That still didn't make him completely safe. So when he heard the sounds of rushing footsteps it'd been all he could do to not scream like a school girl. That scream died in his mouth when he watched in stunned disbelief at who was running and what they were doing.

Angels did not run and they certainly didn't chase after bunnies with knives in their hands. He's sure of this. But given the things he'd seen lately, he can't be too sure anymore. He almost believed the angel in question was not really there at all until it lost sight of the bunny and with a whispered curse, had looked up at him.

"Hi," he said and he would have waved if his hands hadn't been tied.

"What are you doing there?" she asked, laughing breathlessly. She was just as stunning as she had been the night before. No hood to hide her blonde hair and completely feminine figure. Her hair was that color where it'll shine so brightly that the glare would blind you to everything else. She had a glow though… an inner glow that he thought looked familiar but then he noticed what she was wearing. No gown, but pants. What a woman!

"I was captured by bandits and they threatened to come back to kill me," he lied quickly.

"Why did they not kill you first and then leave you here?" she asked with an arched brow.

Even though it was quite dark, she seemed to glow in a way that he could see her. Amazing woman!

"You'd have to ask them," he said with a charming grin. "Please help me."

"Did I not see you yesterday?" she asked, coming just a little bit closer to get a better look at his face.

She was closer but not too close and that didn't even matter because her beauty stunned him just as much as it had when he'd first seen her the night before. Hundreds of questions ran through his mind about her otherworldly appearances to him in the middle of the night but he couldn't voice those. Mice did not like to be trapped and Captain was an excellent knot. That was more important to him at that moment.

"Yes, the wolf and the Creepy Farmer?" he asked hesitantly. Her eyes didn't widen but there was recognition in them. Maybe a little wariness too, but since Ladies in general didn't like mice, he wasn't offended. She was a very sharp, intelligent looking woman and he found himself admiring her even more for it. "Please, my Lady? I saw an owl giving me the eye a few minutes ago and I'm quite sure it's going to try something."

She chuckled at him but he could see that she was debating it now. He gave her his most adorable, pathetic begging face and she smiled at him reluctantly. She climbed up to where his ties were and easily cut through the rope. A distant howl of a wolf echoed and the lady turned her head. He used that opportunity to make his escape, like any mouse would if suddenly freed.

"Listen," he heard her say, but her voice was cut off when she must have realized he had left her.

"Thank you, my Lady!" he cried but he did not stop his getaway.

He could have sworn he heard her say something afterwards that sounded like, "He is going to kill me."

**TBC**


	36. Somnio

**Prompt: **#4 Imagination

**Summary: **Maybe he was just a fool and this was all in his head. But it looked like reality was stranger than his imagination.

**A/N: **This continues the story introduced in Chapter 35: Caecus for the #20 Prompt, Glare. Part 2/4.

Somnio is Latin for "imagine foolishly".

_**Somnio**_

Ashamed. That's what he's been. He was ashamed for running away from Captain. He was ashamed of … maybe just that. Oh, that and managing to get himself _caught_ again! He was definitely not living up to his namesake that day. By noon the following morning he had managed to get himself caught by Nihil soldiers in a ravine. A mouse would not have walked through a flippin' ravine when they were being hunted. There was no place to hide and there was no place to run! So it'd been rather pathetic and he'd been so beat up from running most of the night that he hadn't given them much of a fight. He'd found himself tied up, again. Then he'd been hefted up on a more normal looking horse, nothing to Horsie, behind a Nihil shoulder out of sight from Captain. Captain who had been approaching while those sleazy bastards waited in hiding A trap for Captain! Did they think he was going to let them get to Captain! No way!

Captain seemed to be unaware of the threat that was so close by but there was no real way to tell for sure. He'd put his money on the fact that he had, but _still_ came this way. Noble, brave knight that he was. He'd probably tracked them all down and was coming after him. Guh, to be used as bait against a great man like Captain. A mouse really was an abused creature. Well, they were getting what was coming to them. They'd tied his hands but not as good as Captain had and it hadn't taken him long at all, to untie his hands and bonk the soldier in front of him in the head. He made sure to make enough noise so that Captain was alerted.

In between running and dodging and trying not to make too much of a nuisance of himself, he didn't really have much of a chance to pay attention to anyone else. There weren't very many soldiers waiting in ambush and he did do his fair share in helping Captain. So he was pretty confident that Captain would be good on his own. Horsie and Hawk were much better at helping him anyway. He'd just needed to get himself out of their way and wait it out. He'd just made a spectacular dive behind a rock just in time to look up and see one of the soldiers fire an arrow at Hawk. It struck Hawk right in the chest, hear the heart. He wasn't sure who cried out louder, Hawk or Captain. His eyes had flown to Captain then and saw that Captain had been struck with an arrow and in almost the exact same spot as Hawk. Not that Captain had looked at all worried about himself. It looked as if the cry Captain had given was for the sake of his bird and not his own pain. Captain's eyes stayed locked on Hawk as it descended to the ground to make sure he knew where it was before he turned his attention back to the fighting. Mouse did not envy the soldier. Horsie devoured the one who'd shot the arrow at Hawk and Captain had looked murderous when he'd stabbed the soldier who'd shot him with the very arrow that had been stuck in his chest. After that, it was all over.

Not even bothering to savor their victory, because to him it looked like defeat mixed with denial. Captain had mounted Horsie and shot off the short distance it took to get to Hawk. He'd run after the pair as fast as his short legs could carry him and caught up just in time to see Captain kneel down beside Hawk.

"Sssssh. There, there. It is all right. It will be all right," Captain whispered soothingly to the injured bird. "You are going to be just fine, dear one."

Captain must have known he was there because his head jerked in his direction. "Get me a small cloth from my bag!"

The order jolted him so fast he was running towards Captain with the cloth in no time. He watched almost bewildered at the amount of care and attention Captain took in wrapping Hawk up and cradling it in his arms. Then Captain looked up at the sky as if debating something and his eyes narrowed in frustrated desperation. It was just a bird!

"There is an old, decrepit mountain castle a few miles that way," motioned Captain in the direction of one of the mountains. "When you get there, there will be a priest. He will know what to do." With that he offered the wounded animal to him.

"What? Me? I can't run that fast!" he protested, shaking his head and wave his arms for added emphasis. "You take her."

"You are going to ride, my horse," answered Captain with barely suppressed anger. "I cannot take her in my condition."

"On _him_? He'll shove me right off!"

"No, he will not," reassured Captain, trying to hand him the bird again. "You _must_ take her to the priest."

"Why go through so much trouble, Captain? The poor thing's done for."

He'd almost wished the words back from the sudden flash of rage on Captain's face at that. He grabbed him by the cuff with his strong hands and brought his face to his.

"Don't you _dare _even _think_ that!" Captain shouted in his face. It took several quick breathes for Captain to find his calm again. "You _will _do this," Captain ordered and he had a look in his eyes that promised excruciating retribution if he didn't obey him.

"Uh, okay fine," he mumbled, walking hesitantly backwards towards Horsie on shaking legs. Captain could be frightening.

He saw Captain whisper a few words in Horsie's ear before he jerked his head at him to mount. Horsie didn't even move while he tried his very best to stay seated on his massive back. It'd taken him a moment to get his balance. Captain walked slowly towards him and handed him the bird very gently. The poor thing sounded strangled. The arrow was still embedded in its chest and he doubted there was any hope of saving it. But he sure as heck wasn't going to say that to Captain.

"Hurry and if you do not this for me and she dies, I will find you and you will regret the day you ever escaped Nihilsomno," vowed Captain heatedly and there was no doubt in his mind that he would.

So he carefully lifted Hawk in his arms like a baby and he was shooting off. He felt like a genuine jackass for not even considering that since Captain was also wounded, he should have been more agreeable at the very beginning. So he'd clicked at Horsie and whipped his reins to get the monster to move faster under his feet to visit this priest in a mangled castle. It was getting dark by the time he caught a flash of the white stones of a really badly kept castle. Hawk had started screaming by then. Screaming so badly that when he tried to coo at it, it bit him.

"Yaouch! You ingrate!" he shouted at it resentfully, as they approached the castle walls. Of everything, the walls had ironically been the only things kept intact. "Hello! HELLO! Is there anyone there!"

"What is it!" shouted a gruff, impatient voice back. "What is that awful screeching noise!"

He saw a fuzzy white headed, head peek out but he couldn't see a face with the setting sun in his face.

"I've a bird here that's been injured!" he answered.

"Oh lovely!" came a more welcoming shout. "Hurry and bring it in. I've a fire here. We can roast it together!"

"We can't eat it!" he protested so fast his voice squeaked.

"Why the blazes not?"

"It belongs to…," er since he did not know Captain's real name this was going to be tricky.

"Who does it belong to?" challenged the gruffy voice.

"A man named, 'Captain'," he replied lamely and he expected a mocking laugh in response. When he looked up he realized that the fuzzy white head had gotten really stiff.

"Captain?" the fuzzy head of white asked in a disbelieving. "GET IN HERE!"

He was not sure what that was all about but he was more than a little convinced that 'Captain' was definitely a code word for something important. The gate unlocked and the fuzzy head was now attached to a body that was clothed in a white robe that was dashing precariously towards him down a rather steep incline.

"Let me see! Hurry up and let me see!" the figure was even more impatient than before.

"Are you the priest?"

"Are you an idiot? Why do you think I'm wearing these robes?" mocked the not so friendly priest. He peered into his arms and caught sight of Hawk and the arrow protruding from its chest. "Oh no…," the priest's voice went down to a low whisper. Dread clear in his scratchy voice. He took Hawk from him and held it gently to him. like it was something precious. Just like Captain had. Then he whirled around and ran back towards the castle without another word to him. He'd heard the priest rambling to himself the whole way.

"Hey wait!" he shouted running after him. For an old guy the man was spry! Before he could catch up, Priest had locked himself in a room.

The sky was already dark when the storm clouds moved in. So he hadn't actually seen when the sun had finally set. Not that he would have noticed anyway because he'd been a little distracted trying to figure out what the blazes was going on with this picture. It wasn't raining just yet, but he could smell the water in the air. The billowing thunder of a fierce shower followed a flash of lightning as he waited impatiently outside until Priest emerged again, rumbling the whole time and locked the door again before rushing off to who cared where. Locks. HA! Priest obviously didn't know who he was dealing with! It wasn't even a complicated lock either and he had picked it in no time at all before rushing into the room to figure out why the heck a bird was so special. He'd just made sure that the door was nicely closed behind him before he whirled around and almost fell over from shock at the sight that was waiting for him inside.

It wasn't a bird that lay beside the fire. It was not a bird wrapped in warm black fur rugs before a fire. It was most definitely _not_ a bird with an arrow protruding from its chest. It was _her._ Blinking rapidly and listening to his flight instinct, he was prepared to scram out of there screeching like a loon, when she made a strangled sound that stopped him.

"Noctis! Is he…?" she cried out to him desperately.

He doesn't know how the heck he knew who she was talking about but it made him stop his escape and turn his head towards her.

"He's fine," he'd answered so candidly that there was no room for her to doubt. He chanced a glance at her and caught the relief as it washed over her entire body with that knowledge. She even sighed in contentment, though it was clear that she was in her own agony.

"Am I dreaming again? he asked her, hesitantly trying to get a little closer. "Are you part of my imagination?"

She didn't look at him but clutched the edges of her skin that held the arrow. "I am sorrow." Tears rolled out of her eyes and he felt just as depressed as she looked. There was sad resignation in her features. She didn't expect to survive the night but it didn't look like she minded as long as Captain aka Noctis, was all right.

He'd been about to ask her something else when the door opened and Priest entered behind him.

"How the he…?" he started to growl at him until he realized that she was lying there as a human (which he thought was still highly debatable as she'd looked as stunning as she had when he'd first laid eyes on her a couple nights before) and not a bird. Priest looked as entranced as he did and moved to stand in front of him. "Get out of here boy. I have work to do."

"But I…,"

"Get out!" Priest shouted before whirling around and shoving him out the door. Then slammed them shut behind him for good measure.

Not that he had been too tempted to stay in there anyway. They all knew what Priest had to do and he didn't envy the crabby guy at all for being the one stuck with the duty. Even if it did mean that he'd be in the room with her like that. It had been too confusing! Captain was Noctis. Noctis was Captain. Captain was Prince Noctis! The missing prince that had disappeared so long ago. He was alive! There was hope! But, who was _she_? What had happened? Why.. how did he get himself into this mess? His head felt like it was going to explode so he crouched on the floor and clutched his head between his knees. He could feel the tension and he almost wanted to scream so that he didn't have to hear what he knew was coming soon. The thunder and lightning were deafening but he still heard her scream when Priest finally pulled the arrow from her chest. Her scream of indescribable pain had cut him to the heart. Just as she screamed, an agonized howl responded to her from the distance and he found himself on the edge of tears. This was all a nightmare. A living nightmare. The question was, if it were _his_ nightmare of if it was _their_ nightmare.

Priest came to find him much later, when the storms had gone and everything was pretty quiet. Except for the occasional howl of a wolf not so far away and the crackling of the fire. As close as he had been sitting in front of the fire, he hadn't felt the least bit warm. Instead he was wracked with shivers running up and down his back, making him shudder in dread and fear and sympathy for the two people that had obviously been placed in a never ending, bizarre horror picture. Priest had been more composed when he sat beside him and offered him a glass of ale to help calm his nerves. Mouse didn't usually drink but he sure had needed a drink then. Maybe then everything would make bloody sense.

"That's him, isn't it?" he asked, even though he already knew the answer. "That's him howling out there."

"You've stumbled across a very tragic tale, my boy," answered Priest with a heavy sigh.

"I need to hear it all."

Priest gave a long sigh as they both continued to stare at the fiery flames. After awhile Mouse had the impression that he wasn't going to tell him anything.

"I keep thinking this is all my overactive imagination playing tricks on me," he commented.

"If only it was that simple," sighed Priest again. "Just some bedtime story."

"I like bedtime stories," he encouraged.

Priest seemed to steel himself before starting the awful tale.

"Five years ago, an envoy arrived with a small entourage in Nihilsomno."

"The capital?"

"Yes," Priest replied patiently. They both knew how rare it was that an envoy from any outside country got into the boundaries of Nihilsomno. "Among the delegates was a beautiful creature of blonde hair and blue eyes. Blue eyes like…"

"Those of a jewel that seemed to sear right through your heart," Mouse finished.

Priest turned to him with a knowing grin. "Ah, you too eh?"

Mouse nodded. No use in denying that.

"She was among the envoy's party. When the Overlord saw her, he knew he had to have her."

Okay, he had never actually seen the Overlord in person before, but he could easily say that the guy looked old enough to be her father! Nobody actually wanted to ever see him because that meant you weren't going to be living much longer. The man looked like one of those old mafia bosses with black and white tightly slicked back hair and a full beard and moustache. Menacing to the core! A man that looked like he could kill you with a glare. Talk about creepy! That was even creepier than how Creepy Farmer had made him feel. It was kinda revolting even though, there was a part of him that understood too. Being a fella himself and looking at Priest, who looked almost as old as the Overlord, she was just that type of woman that any man found himself falling in love with. She was undeniably a superior creature that mortal men could not resist.

"He became obsessed with her and vowed to have her," continued Priest. "But there were two things that he did not know. The first being that she was the Princess of Tenebrae who had come in secret to meet with the high council of Nihilsomno for her country. The second was that she was already in love."

He could feel that darkening sense of foreboding build up inside again and he suddenly got very cold. Wrapping his arms around himself, he tried to keep from shivering and sat closer to the fire. Priest obliged him by tossing another log onto the fire.

"Not only was she in love, she was in love with the Prince of Nihilsomno."

"Prince Noctis," he said distantly, thinking about the man he had known as Captain. How he had always pictured him as a tragic hero and how on the money he'd been. He could see the two of them together and happy. There'd never be another couple like'em and he getting more than a little pissed off realizing that someone had purposely ripped them apart from each other. What a tragedy. That was exactly what Captain, er, Prince Noctis was. He was a tragic hero. A hero who didn't deserve any of this. Neither one of them did and he finally understood why, even as striking as she still was, there had never been any joy in her eyes when he'd gotten a chance to look at her. There'd always been a haunted look. A haunted look that he saw whenever he looked into Captain's face.

"Because the Overlord had no knowledge of what she was exactly, he pursued her relentlessly," Priest's voice had turned into a growl as the memory angered him. "He wrote her love letters, sent her gifts, did everything he possibly could to entice her, but she returned everything unopened and unread. All the while she fell deeper and deeper in love with the Prince. Their love had been kept a secret to avoid anyone questioning her true lineage. At first the Princess had even kept the unwelcomed advances of the Overlord a secret from the Prince for fear of igniting a conflict and how right she was to fear. Once she did, terrible things followed."

"What terrible things?" and even though he'd seen those terrible things first hand, he wanted an explanation.

"It had been the last meeting of the envoy with the High Council when she exposed her true identity," continued Priest. "The ambassador that she had come with had used that opportunity to expose the lovers too. He did it in a tirade of accusations. A treaty had to have been reached by the end of that trip as that was its sole purpose for coming but no one in Tenebrae wanted a marriage alliance for their beloved princess. Both sides were so heated they almost started a war in those very chambers. The ambassador strictly forbade the love and any chances of a treaty had shattered."

That sounded like a major understatement but he wasn't going to comment on that.

"Prince Noctis stood his ground and announced that he would be marrying Princess Stella no matter what they tried to stand in their way."

He almost didn't want to hear what was coming next. How could the prince have known such a terrible thing would happen to them?

"That night," continued Priest in a chilling tone. "The Overlord went into the depths of the temple of Etro and made a wicked pact with the goddess for vengeance upon the Prince and Princess. In his utter madness and jealousy he contrived a deal that would keep them forever apart and forever banish them from both their kingdoms. He threw everything away for the slight of his unrequited lust for Princess Stella."

"What exactly is happening?" he demanded angrily.

"During the day, Princess Stella is a beautiful Hawk that soars as a beam of light through the sky. At night, as you hear now, Prince Noctis is the black wolf that stalks in the darkness."

As if on cue, the sad cry of a wolf sounded outside the walls and he shuddered again.

"Forever together but eternally apart," Mouse said and he didn't even know why he knew to say that.

Priest nods sadly and turned to the fire again.

"What part do you play in all of this?" he asked.

There was a long silence and he'd seen the guilt as it drained the color from Priest's face.

"I was the ambassador that she came with on that fateful visit and I am the man who gave the Overlord a perfect opportunity to exact his revenge," confessed Priest with so much shame Mouse almost felt sorry for him. "If it weren't for my temper and my prejudice, none of this would have ever happened."

"Is there anyway to break this curse?" Mouse asked as he'd fought the urge to be angry at the other man for the Prince and Princess' sake. "There has to be a way!"

"There is," answered Priest, but he didn't sound very hopeful. "They must both stand in front of the Overlord as human beings together. That is the only way to break it."

Okay, now that was a huge problem. That meant that they not only had to break into Nihilsomno, which was pretty impossible by itself, they had to stand in front of the Overlord as humans _before_ his minions killed them both. They'd also be running the risk that the Overlord might trap the Princess and keep her as a prisoner to his lusts. Good gracious! That made him sick! And what would happen to Captain when this happened? The Overlord would kill him without even blinking an eyelash. Captain was good but he wasn't _that_ good and as cunning and protective as a hawk was, they wouldn't be able to do it together. Not even with Horsie's help. Heck, he couldn't even help that much either and he doubted Priest was much better. He might be able to get them inside but he sure couldn't help them defend themselves against the army of Nihilsomno. Then he remembered the Prince's plan.

"Priest!" he shouted, turning to him and grabbing onto his white robe. "Prince Noctis wants me to take him to Nihilsomno so he can kill the Overlord."

Priest's face widened in shock. "If he kills the Overlord the curse will never be broken."

"I think he's realized that but it's not going to stop him."

Priest shook his head. "Does Princess Stella know?"

"I don't know. She might," he answered grimly. "She _is_ going to be all right, isn't she?"

"She is well on the mend," reassured the Priest. "Now get some sleep."

Yeah, like that was going to happen when his brain was going a mile a minute. How in the heck was he supposed to sleep when he had so many different theories and suggestions racing through his head at once?

Well, he had never been one of those intellectual thinkers who could think and think all day long. So it shouldn't have surprised him when he jerked awake a few hours later, just before dawn, when there'd been banging on the castle wall.

"What is it!" shouted Priest. As welcoming as he was to him the day before.

"Open in the name of the Overlord!" shouted a man. Sounded like a soldier to his sensitive ears. Had to be soldiers and how they had managed to find this place was amazing.

"I know the Overlord and you don't look like him!" retorted Priest smartly.

He thinks he likes Priest a lot now. Not that he had enough time to dwell on liking anything since he was running as fast as he could towards the room he knows the Princess is in. He doesn't bother knocking because this just wasn't the time to keep with manners.

"My Lady, you must wake," he said shaking her gently on her uninjured side.

"Hmm?" she answered sleepily and he had to fight the urge to stop and stare as her blue eyes looked into his in question. "What is it?"

"Guards! We gotta go!"

Her eyes went immediately into alert and she got up as quickly as she could. He didn't know where they were going since there was no other exit except where the guards were now. The only way to go was up the tower and hope that they didn't go up there to look. So he grabbed her hand and ran towards it. She was fast but sluggish and he was sure her arm was hurting like a mother, but she didn't complain. They'd reached the top quickly and he was so out of breathe as he shoved at the top hatch leading to the very top of the watchtower and helped her climb up, through it. He could hear the rush of the guards as they ran up the stairs after them. Quickly, he'd climbed up and slammed the door in their faces and slide the bolt in place.

The bolt wasn't going to hold for very long and he started running around the small space of the top of the tower to see where they could go next. But of course, they were at the top of a freakin' tower! There was no where to go and there was no way in heck they were going to be able to climb down.

"Mouse, they only want me. Just save yourself," she said to him.

"Don't flatter yourself," he said as he kept trying to find an escape route.

The guards began slamming against the hatch and the bolt slipped off, causing it to fly open. On reflex, he had leapt onto the hatch in order to close it again. He knew he wasn't really heavy but he was just enough to lock the hatch again. He had been moving with a different sense at that moment. Yes, his flight instincts were kicking in but most importantly, his protective instincts were at their peak. More than anything, he wanted to protect the Princess rather than to protect himself. Before he knew it, the guards had thrust a sword through the boards of the hatch while he'd still been on it and he'd leapt away from it to avoid being stabbed. Which was _not_ a good idea because he crashed right into the Princess and she flew over the edge of the tower. She gave a short cry and he leaned over to see that she'd managed to get hold of a protruding stone. Holding onto the edge, he reached over and grabbed her hand before she lost her grip.

The hand that she had managed to grab, was her left. The same side that had been wounded by the arrow. She gave a weak cry of pain but she didn't let go of his hand. Blood poured out of her shoulder and into the white gown that she was wearing as he tried to pull her back up to no avail.

"My grip is slipping!" she cried her fingers started gliding through his.

"Hold on!" he shouted, but he knew within that moment that he couldn't save her. "NO!" Despite it all, her fingers slowly slipped from his grasp. His stomach plummeted as he watched her fall towards the ground. She screamed as she fell and his world seemed like it was narrowed to terrifying, slow motion.

It was then that he realized that the sun was rising and its rays struck her falling form. As soon as the light hit her body, he saw her start to change. White skin turned to fluffy feathers and her bright blue eyes widened into yellow. He was too scared to even breathe as he watched her morph into the hawk and flew away, just in time to avoid smashing into the gravel below. Safe and gone and the guards weren't going to get her afterall. He hadn't even realized he'd started crying in relief until he felt the wetness on his face. He wanted to thank anything and everything for saving her. The cry of the hawk had been the most welcomed sound he'd ever received in his life.

His relief of course, was a little short lived considering the guards were still trying to break through the lock on the hatch and he still had no where to go. But he took comfort in the fact that at least the Princess was safe and there was still a chance of her and Captain. Since there was no where to run to, he'd ended up plopped down on the edge and staring off see the rest of the sunrise. The latch blew open and he heard the soldiers climb up quickly.

"You there!" shouted one of them. He remembered the voice from the one that Priest had been yelling at earlier. He hoped Priest was all right. "Where is the woman!"

"She flew away," he answered, because it was the truth!

"Don't lie to me you runt!" snarled the guard, threatening him with his sword. "Where did she go?"

"I swear she flew away!" he cried, covering his head with his arms in a vain effort to protect himself.

"Why you little…," but the voice was cut off with a strangled choking sound and he could feel a body fall past him over the edge. Another body fell with a thud behind him and when he mustered enough bravery to look, he saw they were all dead. His eyes flew back to the horizon and saw Captain, Prince Noctis, standing there and looking at him with his crossbow in his hands.

A huge sigh of relief blew out of his mouth and he'd been crying all over again like a sap. But who cared because he was alive and they were alive and everyone that mattered was alive. He didn't think he'd ever been that glad to see anyone like he had when looking at Captain, standing there after so gallantly saving him from so long a distance. He could have even danced like a jester and shimmied, he was so relieved. Captain might have even smirked at him cause he's sure he must've seen the stupid grin slapped onto his face. He was officially Captain's No. One Biggest Fanboy!

"Must try to tell the truth more," he said to himself with a nod. He walked around the body of the dead soldier to walk back down the tower to meet Captain at the gates.

**TBC**

There's been a small change so please check my Profile.


	37. Egeo

**Prompt: **#33 Without

**Summary: **Forever together, yet eternally apart.

**A/N: **This is the 3rd part of the story started in Chapter 35: Caecus. It was originally supposed to be 3 parts but has turned into 4. Inspiration is the movie LadyHawk.

Egeo is Latin for "to need, lack, want, be without".

_**Egeo**_

Sayin' that Captain, (he'll just keep calling him that because he's sure Prince Noctis didn't want anyone else knowing who he was really was just yet) was a man of few words was kinda stupid to even bother saying. He was a very powerful man. No doubt about that. He was also very mysterious in that super cool hero type of way. The man had a very strong vendetta against The Overlord which would have sounded crazy except he had a pretty darn good reason to. Nobody could fault him for wanting to kill the very man that had stolen everything from him out of something like jealousy. It would have been different if the Princess had actually liked the Overlord back but she didn't and so that made him just plain crazy. He hadn't been sure he even wanted to know all this before, but now that he did, he knew the Overlord was already a walking corpse in his opinion. If any man could kill the Overlord it'd be Captain. No doubt about that. Both men were dark and powerful but there was just something about Captain that made you want him as your Dark Knight. The Knight that would do anything to defend you. Captain was compassionate and understanding and just. He'd have to be because he was definitely patient with him and he hadn't killed Priest that morning when he'd had a darn good reason to, too. Call it hero worship. A proud, noble Dark Knight was a hero to anyone who was mouse like and small like he was.

Captain was everything he wasn't and he was sure glad that there was a man like that around. There were too many like him, mouse like, that didn't do anything except think about themselves. The quicker Captain regained the throne and became the King that he should have been already the better for everyone. Didn't take a genius to work that out. He'd have a boring life once that happened but at least he wouldn't try things that would get him sent to the slammer anymore.

"There were times I wondered if you had died," he heard Captain say to Priest when he had run down all the steps from the tower to where they were standing together. The Princess, LadyHawk, as he dubbed her afterwards was perched on Captain's arm as he proudly sitting on Horsie's back. "There were many times I wanted to kill you myself."

Captain's voice had been grim but not too threatening. He was just being blunt and honest. Then he had raised his arm and looked at LadyHawk. It was at that moment he realized just how stupid he'd been to miss the major detail of _how _Captain always looked at LadyHawk. There was always a warm fondness that would have been just plain weird if she'd just been a typical bird. Now that he'd noticed it and now that he knew the why, he could believe the crazy tale that he'd gotten himself involved in. He's sure he would have flipped too if the love of his life had just been struck with an arrow to the chest and dropped like a rock to the ground. He didn't know where Captain called his patience from. He'd been more than a little patient when he'd tried to tell him the hawk was done for. But Priest was talking again and his thoughts were cut off.

"I was glad to be here and assist. I owe you both so much," said Priest with a hopeful grin on his old face. "I have a solution to your problem too!"

Captain hadn't answered but continued to stare at him in wait. He had that skeptical look on his face though that meant he already knew whatever you were gonna say was utter BS.

"In three days, you will be able to stand beside Princess Stella in front the Overlord."

Captain's face hardened and his jaw clenched from anger. His eyes flashed to red too and he'd be a liar if he said he hadn't stepped back a little when he saw _that_ look on Captain's face.

"In two days I shall reach Nihilsomno and I shall kill the Overlord," vowed Captain in a tone that sounded a bit like he was saying there was sun shining in the morning.

"No! If you do the curse will never be broken," cried Priest.

"Go back inside and nurse your ale, old man," suggested Captain very unkindly. Yeah, resentment had been there and it had quickly replaced any gratitude he'd had a moment before.

"You think I'm drunk when I say this!" protested Priest heatedly. "I've been forgiven for what I've done to you both!"

"Forgiven?" Captain repeated with scorn but it was a relief that his eyes had turned back to blue. "You have not been forgiven. You have been driven mad."

Well, that was awkward and very poignant and he didn't know how to break the tension after that. He was just selfish enough to be thankful that Captain never said any of those mean things to him. Priest's face fell then and he didn't utter any protests because he knew he'd deserved it. That didn't mean he looked utterly broken up about it. He'd been torn himself because he liked Priest but he liked Captain more and he knew Captain had plenty of reason to say such mean things.

The glare lasted a little longer on Captain's face until LadyHawk had flapped her wings and distracted him. He'd turned to look at her with an affection on his face before he had actually looked a little sheepish. As if he knew that she was tellin' him off for being so mean. He didn't know if he felt more inspired of just plain depressed when he realized this. No matter what form, the Prince always saw Stella in Lady Hawk. He'd watched Captain as he'd stiffened after a moment atop Horsie and trotted over in his direction.

"Say, Captain," he said as if he'd been thinking.

"I am forever grateful, Mouse," said Captain, giving him a mutually thankful smile. "I will no longer try to force you on this errand of mine."

You'd think he was talking about heading over to the store and grabbing some milk and eggs.

"That's good of you, sir," he said with a grateful grin.

"Stay out of trouble," admonished Captain.

"Say, are you and LadyHawk still headed to Nihilsomno?"

"LadyHawk?" Captain asked with a slight frown before he caught the reference. He smiled approvingly at him and he knew he'd liked the new nickname. "Yes, as a matter of fact, we are."

"Cause I suddenly remembered that I forgot something and I'm headed there myself," he said as believably as he could.

Captain looked at him shrewdly, knowing that he'd been lying out of his teeth, but he was wise enough not to point out the blatant lie. He'd actually smirked at him.

"Well, hurry and gather your things then," he said, sitting straighter in the saddle. "I am leaving now."

"Will do, Captain!" he'd shouted with a mild salute before running back towards Priest.

He hadn't gotten very far when he heard Captain's faint chuckle and a fondly voiced, "LadyHawk", before he'd started hollering for Priest to hurry up and follow behind them. They had two days to convince Captain that he needed to hold back from killing the Overlord just long enough for them to break the curse. They would, Priest had figured out a way. If anyone would be truthful and sure that this was going to happen, it'd be Priest. He'd called it his chance at redeeming himself to his Princess and the Prince. Mouse believed him completely but convincing Captain was another issue all together and it'd take more than just him to convince Captain.

Much later in the day, they'd been walking through a thick forest with him on Horsie and Captain walking beside them with LadyHawk on his arm. He thought they were making way too much progress too quickly when Captain caught the reins and they stopped.

"A storm is coming and the sun is almost setting," uttered Captain a little thoughtfully.

"How do you know? I can't even see the sky through these thick trees," he'd said, looking up and trying to squint through the thick foliage around them.

"Five years give you an acute sense of them," Captain explained absently. He motioned for Mouse to take LadyHawk. "There should be a tavern about a mile or two beyond those trees. You should be able to make it in time before the rains start to come down in abundance."

"Will do," he replied and he'd steered Horsie in that direction.

"Tell her I love her," he heard Captain say behind him, in a voice full of longing and regret.

His heart went out to the man. There'd always been a haunted look about Captain, but if he were in this crazy situation he knew he'd be batty, not just haunted. Even with that haunted look, Captain held it with a poise and grace that proved just how wrongly he'd been treated. Definitely dealt the wrong cards and he deserved to be King over his kingdom. Five years was a long time to travel aimlessly every day with the woman of your dreams stuck as a bird. He wondered if they could at least see each other in those few seconds before they would both turn. He'd wondered if they had ever tried. It didn't look like they had. Maybe it was too much torture for them. Maybe that was the frustration that was the cause of Captain's mission to kill the Overload after all this time. The world would definitely be a better place without the evil jerk. It'd been so long and the situation so helpless. He's sure that being helpless didn't sit well with a man like Captain. They didn't fair well and when they snapped, Run!

He'd tried to put himself in Captain's shoes. Couldn't because he wasn't noble and he, shame to say, probably would've moved on. Princess was a magnificent creature of beauty but his kind of prat couldn't handle all that baggage and responsibility. He wasn't made of the same stock as Captain and it had nothing to do with him being a peasant and Captain being a Prince. The Overlord himself was from nobility and he was sicker than a sewer rat. He was dishonorable. More than _he_ was! He'd also never be able to handle another man being able to spend time with his lady like Captain so trustingly let him. He'd be mad with jealousy and would probably end up stabbing the git in a fit of rage. All Captain did was say, "Tell her I love her", in a voice that left no doubt that he meant it.

These contrasting thoughts ran through his mind as he'd reached the tavern and made sure to tie Horsie in one of the stalls inside of the accompanying stable. The rain had just started to come down in sheets by then. Captain was right! He'd settled LadyHawk on the stall door where Horsie was tied. Then he'd laid out a gown for her. How he'd missed the fact that Captain kept a gown in one of the compartments of Horsie's saddle made him feel even more stupid. Thieves were always supposed to notice these things! His head had definitely been loopy since this whole fiasco was plunked on him like this. After looking at how fancy and very princess like the gown was, he'd "_borrowed_" a gown from a hanger outside that was dry and brought it in for her.

Realizing that if he didn't scram, he'd be getting more than an eye full of Princess Stella starkers and that if he did and Captain _ever _found out he'd probably castrate him, he'd turned around and waited out in the rain. That turned out to be sort of a bad idea because he didn't have an umbrella, having left it in Horsie's saddle and it had been pouring out there! But he'd needed to be chivalrous or Mousie Jr. would be detached, so he waited, even though he did start shivering out there.

"You can come in now," said a subdued feminine voice from inside.

He hadn't needed to be told twice, so he was jumping through the door and into shelter as soon as she'd finished her sentence. At first he hadn't been able to see her anywhere until she slowly walked out into view. She had almost looked shy and heaven help him, she's looked even more alluring. What a woman!

"Thank you," she said indicating her simple gown with a smile. Before he could respond, she'd turned around to Horsie. "Hello Acerbus," she said, leaning her forehead against the massive head of…

"His name is Acerbus?" blurted out Mouse.

Lady turned to give him a curious smile. "What do _you _call him?"

"Horsie," he'd said as if she should have guessed.

She'd burst out laughing, covering her mouth in a vain effort to cut it off, and he doesn't think he's ever heard a more charming sound.

"I hope you did not tell Noctis," she said, fully amused.

He shook his head and totally agreed that he was glad he hadn't told Captain. He's not sure what Captain would've done if he had ever found out he'd called his rider, Horsie.

"Good, because if he has not hurt you, Acerbus would," she warned, giving the giant an affection pat. Said giant that was glaring at him something awful.

He'd grinned toothily and tried to pat Acerbus himself but the behemoth turned his head away as if insulted. Even though he'd given him that nickname out of love. Ingrate!

"Aaw! Don't be like that boy," he'd said with the Princess giggling beside him.

"I am sure he meant no offense," she reassured the giant and it was only after that, that he'd let him pat his monstrous head.

"Mouse," said Lady hesitantly.

"Yes, my Lady?"

She looked upset, torn and maybe a little sad. Actually, more than a little sad.

"He is taking us back to Nihilsomo, isn't he?" It wasn't even really a question because the look in her eye told him that she already knew the answer to that. She was just looking for confirmation from him for some reason.

He nodded hesitantly in response.

She looked away and he could tell that more than just her gaze left the stable in that moment. After what seemed a few minutes, she sighed with a shake of her head. The resignation hunched her shoulders but she didn't rail like any other female would have. She hadn't completely agreed with Prince Noctis' plan, but she'd been wise enough not to get angry at what that meant for them. They would be stuck forever living that way even though they would still be together. From the looks of resignation he'd seen in both their faces, they'd figured they'd be happy with just that. It had him marveling all over again at the superior strength of character that they both had. Even though she thought it was obviously as bad an idea as he did, she didn't utter one word against Prince Noctis' decision. He'd bet that she was tired of all this too, but she at least had more reservations about making it so final. Well, at least outwardly at least. Captain was good poker face. But, the Prince was in an awkward position. It was clear that he didn't like how things were running in his kingdom and that this was the only way to save at least his people if he couldn't save himself. These two were both very special people and they belonged together because they both knew they couldn't be selfish like the rest of them were. They shouldn't have had to live such a terrible life every day! It wasn't fair!

"Well, then, on that happy thought," he'd found his fat trap saying before he'd even realized he was talking. "I need a stiff drink."

"Very stiff," she agreed with a genuine smile of appreciation.

"Since it's absolutely pouring out and I forgot the umbrella last time, I'd better not forget it now," he said, opening the pathetically small umbrella that had been attached to Acerbus' saddle. He didn't think it'd actually belonged to Captain cause he doubted he was susceptible to the rain anyway. One of those men that just let the rain pelt and freeze them and still look badass.

He'd been thinking maybe he should just hand it over to the Princess when she'd easily looped her arm with his. He can admit to himself at least, that he'd gotten giddy at the sight of such a beautiful woman on his arm and he'd giggled like an idiot around his first crush. They'd both braced themselves against the pouring rains and gusty winds once he'd open the stable doors to let them out and get to the tavern. The wind had blown the umbrella forward and they were just laughing at how useless the umbrella really was when they crashed into something soft and hard. The umbrella flew away on impact. When he'd finally managed to get a clear view of what they had crashed into, the Princess had already let out an agonized scream. It was a horse, but that wasn't what had him wanting to scream as Lady had. On the saddle, where they both had just crashed up against, was a fur skin of a black wolf. He'd swung his trusty rifle around so fast and whipped it into the face of the creepy, looney, diabolical lookin' man seated in the saddle. Captain had also taken to leaving his broad sword for him too just in case but that was clipped at his belt and harder to reach for at the moment. With a tug, he'd pulled the hysterical princess behind him as she'd tried to reach out for the freshly skinned fur. There was still red blood on it!

"Lady get back!" he'd shouted but she still resisted. Until he'd shouted, "Stella!". That had seemed to wake her up and she'd run back into the stable.

"Stella?" repeated the hairy, creepy giant on the horse in knowing recognition. A malicious grin had formed with crooked yellow teeth that made you want to gag. Crazy man was obviously a wolf poacher. He'd been wearing an entire long coat made up of all wolf furs if one had any doubts before.

"Get away!" he'd shouted, pointing the end of his rifle's barrel in his face.

"Watch it little man. You're scaring me," came the snide reply. Okay not in the least bit scared but at least he wasn't trying to do anything sneaky like.

"I told you to scram!" he'd shouted again and cocked his rifle to make his point.

The terrifying man merely rolled his eyes and laughed in that cackling evil way as he'd trotted away into the woods and disappeared. He'd been a sopping wet mess all over and not entirely out from the rain either. That was sweat in there too you can be certain. He'd been trembling from fright and adrenaline and he was surprised his knees hadn't buckled. That guy had been pure evil to look at. The deranged, crazed kinda guy you wouldn't want to come across during any day. Don't even think about an encounter in the dark! He'd hunched over feelin' pretty drained when the stable doors flew open and the Princess, riding atop Acerbus, raced off in the direction the wolf poacher had gone.

"No wait! Please! Stop!" but there was no way she would've heard him over the rain and the pounding hooves of Horsie. Not that it would have stopped her. "He's going to kill me!"

He's never been really sure what happened in that dark, terrifying forest between Princess Stella and the wolf poacher. He'd been so frightened that he'd thought his heart palpitations would turn into a full blown heart attack. Going against his very nature, he had dashed towards danger instead of running away from it. He'd heard the distinct sounds of wolf traps clamping viciously with loud snaps and the scream of the Princess just beyond the trees in front of him. Probably a good thing that she'd screamed cause he might not have ever found her in that madness. He heard the sharp snap of another trap going off and a sickening chortle of somebody obviously convulsing. When he'd finally crashed onto the scene, it was to the horrific image of the poacher's bent form and the clamp's vicious teeth sinking in to his neck. A very gruesome way to go.

Princess Stella had been standing over him, shaking like a leaf with her rapier in her hand. He'd scrambled over to her and cried out a, "What happened?"

"He did not get Noctis!" she cried out in relief then, paying him no mind in her relief. "Thank goodness! He did not get Noctis!"

It had not taken a genius to figure out that the Overlord knew that the Prince and Princess were back in the general area of Nihilsomno and had sent that wolf poacher to kill the Prince in his more vulnerable state. If he had succeeded, that would leave Princess Stella at his mercy and he shuddered to think of just what he had planned with her then. The man was definitely sick and demented, not to mention determined. There was no reasoning when a man was that far gone. Obviously Prince Noctis knew that and that was why he'd decided on this mission to kill the Overlord to begin with. He knew that he could not protect Stella forever and instead of endlessly worrying about it, he was going to remove the threat completely, no matter that it would leave them both in endless misery and loneliness. The things one did unselfishly for the one that they loved. He'd never been familiar with the notion really. He'd never loved anything more than he loved himself and couldn't understand what it was like to be unselfish. A mouse was not a giving creature. It took where it could and had no remorse about it. So was he. Being a witness to the contrast, he didn't think it was appealing to be unselfish either. He could admire it though. It took a strength he didn't have so he could admire that at least. Just so long as it wasn't him doing the sacrificing.

It still depressed him though. He'd figured that the whole day had been a toll on him cause he didn't remember much after what happened with the wolf poacher. He didn't remember falling onto his little sleeping bag either. Heck, he wasn't even sure how he'd gotten to be lying in front of a fire as close as he was when his eyes opened to the sight of roasting fish. Bleary eyed, he'd looked up and seen a grilling beauty just waiting for him to inhale and a smirking Captain standing over him. You'd have thought nothing had happened the night before from the casual way that Captain was smirking at him. Of course, Captain wasn't even there with them to know just how terrifying the night had been, wolf form or human, and he's not sure he was sorry that he wasn't either. Not that it'd done anything but make him even more confused as he'd sat up scratching his head, noticing that they were not anywhere near a forest or a tavern anymore and wondering if it'd all been a dream.

"Good morning," greeted Captain in a friendly voice. There was something to be said about a man that made you feel loads safer just knowing that he was there. He's sure his lanky presence hadn't reassured the Princess of being safe. "I made breakfast. You look like you could use the coffee too." Captain had added when he'd continued groggy eyed.

"What a night," he'd muttered to himself.

The thought of coffee brightened him up and he'd barely managed to get to his feet before he heard the call of LadyHawk approaching them from across the icy lake. Yawning as loudly as he knew was impolite and stretching his arms just as wide as his mouth, he'd been more than a little confused when his arm jerked down and nearly dropped the heavy hawk that had perched onto his forearm. Gawking like the idiot that he was, he'd turned to see that Captain looked just as stunned as he was. That is, until a knowing smirk crossed Captain's lips and he'd crossed his arms to get a better look at him.

"Last night," said Captain, giving him a level stare that said that he was going to know if he were lying before he'd gotten a chance to think one up. "What happened?"

"Nuthin'," he tried to yawn again which did not fool Captain one bit. Plus it was awkward since he now had a bird perched on his forearm.

Captain had merely continued to stare at him and waited until he told him what he wanted to know.

"Well, we uh, had an interesting night."

An eyebrow went up and he knew he had to think fast.

"Just a little stormy, not bad," he added slyly, before he'd looked down to chide LadyHawk. "Now you gonna get me in trouble by doing that? Get on back to your master, LadyHawk."

"More than stormy," stated Captain but it wasn't a question and he definitely wanted an answer.

"So we _may_ have run into a little bit of trouble but nuthin' I couldn't handle," he'd gone for nonchalant but Captain had that alarmed look on his face now and he knew he'd been caught. Gah, why was Captain the only man who could tell if he was lyin'! He made a motion of trying to get LadyHawk onto Captain's arm again more forcefully. "You're bein' right silly this morning LadyHawk!"

Finally, after giving him a hard stare again, Captain had taken LadyHawk onto her own arm and looked into her small face.

"She's the most beautiful creature I've ever seen and I'd be an idiot to deny it," he'd said, drawing Captain's attention away from the incident the night before. He'd watched as Captain gently lowered LadyHawk onto a special branch he'd placed near the fire before continuing. "I doubt there's a man alive that wouldn't think so either, but it's clear as anything that she's in love with you too, Captain."

Captain didn't look ecstatic at the news, but he figured it didn't matter that he knew she loved him when they couldn't be together.

"Every moment you spend with her… I envy you," Captain confessed slowly, before turning to look at him with a look that was so vulnerable he felt ashamed to have seen it.

"I could spend a lifetime with her and she'd never look at me the way she did when she was thinking about you," he'd muttered with both a shrug and a little envy himself. Captain gave him a piercing look that was hard to figure out.

"How do know that?"

He'd shaken his head.

"I'd think a lot about you too, Captain," he'd said with a cheeky grin that had Captain rolling his eyes with a smirk. "She loves you more than life. She's had to."

Captain looked away from him to stare at the horizon in thought. It was that far away look that he'd seen the Princess get the night before.

"Did you know that hawks and wolves mate for life?" Captain asked in a quiet voice before turning to look at him.

He'd never been much of an animal person to know that so he'd shaken his head.

"The Overlord did not even give us that," Captain had finished and that steel look of anger had replaced the mournful look that had been there before.

That next day, he'd been unnaturally quiet the entire time. Captain, who he wasn't sure had an awareness when he was in wolf form, had looked at him quizzically and then a little worriedly, but didn't get nosy. He'd respected his privacy and didn't ask him again about what happened. He wasn't hurt. LadyHawk wasn't hurt. Mouse wasn't hurt and that was all that really mattered. To think about all the worst case scenarios and knowing there'd been nothing he could have done about it, would only drive a man like Captain nuts anyway. So he decided to snap out of it before he worried Captain too much. Priest had finally caught up to them with his donkey pulled cart and he'd had enough company to take his thoughts away from the traumatic night before to get to his usual chattering.

"Since he's not being reasonable, we'll have to appeal to her," Priest said decidedly later when they were out of Captain's sharp hearing. "You'll have to ask her tonight."

"What exactly do you want me to say?" he'd asked and he hadn't even been sure he wanted to know the answer.

After Priest had caught up to them and they'd gotten to putting a lame brained plan together, it was time for them to stop traveling for the day. They'd traveled faster than expected and would soon reach the outer city limits of Nihilsomno by noon the next day. There wasn't any time for stalling on their part now cause they needed to wait the one more day before killing the Overlord according to Priest's plan. He wasn't sure he understood just what Priest's brilliant plan for breaking the curse was, but he was willing to try anything to help the two of these wonderful people.

It hadn't taken long for him to find the Princess once it'd gotten dark. She had this natural glow about her that made her easily found in the dark. Kinda like the moon was easy to find as black as everything else was. She'd been fiddling with the waistband of the pants that Captain usually wore during the day, when she'd whirled around to face him.

"Oh, there you are, Mouse," she said absently, trying to finish with her fiddling.

"We need to talk Princess," he said but she wasn't paying much attention to him. She was looking for her rapier then. "This is going to be our last evening together."

That stopped her and she looked up at him in confusion. "Why?"

"I haven't exactly been honest with you," he started and she gave him that searching look that said she'd known that already. Clever woman! "But we have a plan."

"We?" she repeated. "You and Noctis?"

"Well, no…," he said, jerking his head to Priest, as the other man revealed himself beside him.

Her face hadn't exactly been welcoming at the sight of Priest and he found he couldn't fault her that. She'd glared at him like Captain had but there was a grudging thanks along with the open resentment. There'd definitely been more welcome from her eyes than Captain and that was the best they could hope for. It wasn't quite hatred, but it was definitely resentment. Though skeptic, she'd been willing enough to go along with their plan. Princess, reasonable creature that she was, had more willingness with Priest's plan than Captain. She stood watch over them as they dug up the snowy dirt to make a wolf trap. Priest was hollering up a storm and shoving him while trying to dig as much dirt out of their makeshift hole as quickly as he could. Finally he'd managed to shove him so hard he'd landed on his back.

"I don't think this hole is big enough," he'd muttered.

"Well, let's hope it's big enough for the wolf," growled Priest without pausing in his digging.

It'd certainly been deep enough cause hauling Priest out of the narrow pit was a doozy. Priest had gained some poundage over the year and hadn't worked out his arms. Obviously not since both his strength and Priest's wasn't enough to get the man out of the trap. It wasn't until they heard the not too distant howl of a wolf, that he'd just sprung over the chubby older man and leapt out of the trap himself.

Things happened too fast after that. Wolf had come along towards the Princess from the other side of the frozen lake and just as he was about to reach her, had fallen through the ice and into the freezing water. The Princess screamed, ice cracking at her own feet when she'd tried to run and help, but not enough to make her fall through thank goodness. She got down on her stomach then and half slid, half crawled towards her drowning lover. He'd grabbed Captain's main sword and embedded it into the more sturdier snow, tied a rope to the hilt and crawled towards the drowning wolf, behind the Princess. She'd reached him in no time and was trying to hold onto his upper half but she wasn't strong enough to lift him out.

"Help me, Mouse!" she pleaded as she lost her grip on the slippery fur and the wolf dropped back into the water.

There wasn't any time to really think about things and he'd found himself diving into the water too. Breath was knocked out of him so fast he couldn't think straight for a sec. The struggling wolf threatened to claw his flesh off his very bones as it tried to regain the surface of the freezing waters. He couldn't think! He tried and tried but with the frantic cries of the Princess along with the harsh bites of Wolf's dagger like claws into him. It was cold, so cold! He's not sure how he'd even done it but it must've been the sheer desperation inside him that had him gripping Wolf's black, slick fur roughly into his fingers and hauling him out of the water. The sag of relief of accomplishment had him sinking into the water again. Princess Stella clung to Wolf and cried reassuring things, trying to warm him with her own body heat as Priest came crawling over the thin ice to help him out of the water too. He'd just barely managed to get his blue hide out of the water and then all of them collapsed beside the watering hole to calm down.

"We must live," pleaded the Princess weakly to Priest, as she stroked the wet fur of Wolf. "As humans and not as animals any longer. I leave it in your hands now."

As much as a part of him worried about the Princess and Wolf, he'd been too distracted with the simple act of not biting his tongue off as his teeth chattered uncontrollably and clinging to himself to try and gain some warmth in the cold night. He'd barely been aware of anything as Priest ordered him to strip and get closer to the fire, before wrapping a very warm and dry fur rug over his shivering form. He doesn't think he'd ever feel anything as painful and debilitating as freezing like that.

"The Pppppriin…," he'd tried to say but couldn't get his teeth to stop clanking together as he continued to shiver.

Priest thrust a flask full of brandy into face and poured some into his mouth that had him sputtering but at least something inside him was burning, as the liquid flowed down his throat. He could feel the burn sting of it in the insides of his chest.

"They're fine now, Mouse," reassured Priest without him having to try asking again. "Now you try to get yourself warm and don't sleep just yet."

Sleep sounded awfully good but whenever he tried to keep his eyes shut, Priest would bonk him soundly on the head and wake him up again. When he'd done it about five times he'd actually given a cry of protest and let out a barrage of unseemly curses at the old crab until he ran out of breathe. Instead of the murderous glare that he'd been expecting from Priest, the old badger had smirked knowingly and that was when he'd realized that his teeth had stopped grinding and he'd stopped shivering. Knocked the wind from his sails and he's collapsed into his heap of heating furs.

"You still can't sleep you rodent!" ordered Priest with half a growl, but he'd been so happy to have some warmth coming back into his system that he'd chuckled in response instead.

He hadn't been able to sleep the rest of the night though and it was only about an hour until dawn that he'd been well enough to stand. He'd "_borrowed_" a few white robs from Priest when the coot wasn't lookin' and made sure one had a hood so he could cover his still freezing noggin' and rushed over to the small ditch that he and Priest had been in such a rush to dig before the entire fiasco had started. He'd tried to creep noiselessly but he doubts any of the occupants of the ditch would have noticed him if he'd crunched noisily around the surrounding area anyway. They'd both been too deep in their own musings and it was like a shield around them as they both lay there. Princess Stella was stroking the black fur of Wolf as the black beast lay quietly and peacefully by her side. She still had her hood on so he couldn't see what her face looked like exactly. They hadn't been looking at each other. Both looked like they were still recovering from the shock of almost losing one another.

He'd been too far to say for certain but he hadn't been too far off that he'd missed it when, just as the Princess squeezed her hand around a handful of fur, her knuckles started to glow. The look on her face was mildly alarmed and she'd brought her hand in front of her as she watched the beginning rays of the sun shine from behind her, against the pale skin of her hand. Her eyes sparkled behind the shadow of her hood and she glanced down at Wolf. His breathe had caught cause in that one moment, he'd watched wide and misty eyed as black fur started to change into skin. He'd seen the almost sharp awareness snap into Captain's eyes as he'd jerked his head in her direction and caught side of her hooded body. His transformation hadn't been completed cause his face had only the vague silhouette of his face mixed with Wolf but his eyes, those piercing orbs of his were locked onto the equally changing form of the woman beside him.

He'd never been an eloquent person. He didn't have the education to ever make up fancy words and he's sure they would have been useful in this instance but all he could say was that it was so tragic and so sad and so beautiful a scene, that he'd been streaming tears without knowing it as both the Prince and Princess tried to reach each other before the sun fully rose. He'd held his breathe in hopes of holding that moment just a second longer but it didn't matter. Just before their fingers could touch, the Princess had let out a cry of agony as her outstretched fingers turned into feathers and she changed so drastically that she'd flown away before Captain could have gotten a grasp of her. His responding cry of agony shook the ground all around them and he'd jerked to awareness and scrammed before he could be seen, but he didn't think he'd ever forget the sounds of bitter pain that escaped Captain's mouth as he walked away and let the man grieve alone.

* * *

I am very sorry for the delay but I hope that the length of this will let you know that I wasn't having you wait so long for only a couple hundred words. :)


	38. Oriens

**Prompt: **#14 Sunrise

**Summary: **The morning after…

**A/N: **This expands the Adventum Aduro verse.

Oriens is Latin for "rising sun".

_**Oriens**_

"Did you love him?" he asks. It breaks the silence that had filled the room they were in. Her bedroom.

The harsh rains had abated hours ago. Gone was the rumbling thunder and shattering lightning that had served as a crescendo for them. Now, they both have lain awake for an hour already. Neither one of them had dared to speak and have merely been waiting in silence to gauge the reaction of the other. He nor she even made a motion of trying to get out from under the covers, even though there was no reason to stay now that they were both dry. His head was resting upon the pillow neighboring the pillow her own head was resting upon but it still not close enough. They were not even exactly touching. Merely lying together side by side, each looking up at the ceiling of her sleeping chambers. She would very much like to not think about the fact that they were both naked, though it had nothing to do with feeling like this was a violation of her modesty. Noctis was under the comforter and she was under the bed sheet beneath the comforter. The thin sheet of silk the only barrier and enough of one, between his body and hers and she was acutely aware of that. Again, she was not embarrassed by any means. It was her own temptation, since she regained consciousness, to stroke the bare skin of his chest. His softly spoken question takes her away from those wayward thoughts and she wants to sigh in disappointment. The sigh stays in her throat, however, for fear of him taking it the wrong way.

Though his tone is neutral, she can tell that he feels ashamed in having to ask. Within that shame was the jealousy and fear of her answer. It proved that she was as much his weakness as he was hers. It is obvious who he is asking about and she did not even bother to evade it. She needs to be honest with him, completely so. Even if he might get hurt by it, she owed him and herself that. There would only be truth. They had lived with secrets too long, Noctis more than most. That was the only way he would begin to trust her and trust her feelings where she had failed to gain it before.

"Yes," she responds simply and waits for the responding tension to coil.

It never comes and she wonders what that means.

Instead, he sighs in resignation a moment later. When another moment passes and he does not make any attempt to get up or say anything else, she turns her body to lean against his side. As she looks up into his face, she can see that though his body has not stiffened, his eyes show the turmoil inside. How she loved that his eyes revealed the depths of his emotions while everything else did not.

"Only you mistake the kind of love I had for him," she finishes.

He gives her a cautious look but he does not say anything, merely waits for her to explain it with something akin to dread in his deep blue eyes. The look causes her to swell with affection for him. She really wants to kiss him, but cannot risk him taking that as a means to try and distract him. It would be counterproductive to proving her feelings and she could do more damage by the action.

"The most my love could reach would be brotherly. The lowest of that would be a friend," she explains.

"You love him as family?" he asks carefully. It is clear that he does not really believe her but there is a hint of hopefulness that she finds encouraging.

"Yes," she answers with a nod. Idly, she traces her finger along the skin of his shoulder, hardly conscious of what she is going to his senses. She needs this reassurance of his physical presence at her side. "I love you, you know."

"Like family as well?" he asks and there is an undertone of teasing there too.

She scowls at his shoulder before a breathy giggle escapes her as she looks up into his face. His expression is not so carefully neutral and she does not like the frown of uncertainty she sees there. So she raises her hand and smoothes the creases on his forehead before motioning to trace the contours of his face. "Definitely not."

"Then how?" he asks and there is no teasing this time.

"Well, I would certainly never lie so comfortably naked beside Cal," she jokes and when she looks back into his eyes she can see the responding humor reflected in his eyes.

"I could not either," he retorts and she playfully swats his shoulder lightly before going back to tracing his face with her finger.

Softly and soothingly, the pad of her finger glides over the bridge of his nose, along the slopes of his cheeks and across his eyebrows again before circling around to trace each cheek slowly and faithfully. She can feel the exhalation of his breathe as he relaxes under her touch and he makes no attempt to remove her hand. When she looks back up into his eyes, she finds them closed as if in slumber. It is not until she reaches his mouth to draw his lips and feels them raise to kiss her finger that she realizes that he is savoring the movements. His eyes crack open a bit to smile at her. If he had not already been in possession of her heart, he certainly had it then with that small, adoring smile on his lips. Her eyes do not leave his as he reaches to cover her wandering finger to spread the others so he can kiss them too before holding their joined hands against his chest.

"That cannot be morning can it?" she asks, suddenly realizing that there was too much light coming from outside to see him so clearly if it were not. She cannot keep the mournful tone from her voice either. Morning meant an end to this lovely interlude of theirs and who knew when they would have another. With the rising sun, they would have to leave the bed and this moment would be broken.

"No," he answers, looking at her with an almost smug expression that confuses her.

She tilts her head to look at him. "What is it, then?" she asks with a smile.

"It seems we generated enough energy to your city's test Crystal to light all the bulbs within the city."

"Really?" she asks, knowing that she should feel smug and impressed and delighted that they had achieved a success with their night together, but she cannot seem to muster the feelings. Right now all she can feel is disappointment because that means that he will leave even sooner than the day will come to study this development. She looks up in time to see him shake his head in answer to her pleading question. One cannot be too gloomy when he reaches up with his other hand to trace her bottom lip with his thumb.

"Do you think that when we actually make love we will blow up the entire city with energy?" she tries to sound innocent and teasing but she does not achieve it convincingly.

"That makes me a tad uneasy," he replies but his smirk soothes her from getting sensitive about it.

"Making love to me or the resulting explosion?" she challenges.

"It would mean we would have to confine our love making to the cave of the Crystals or else everyone will know what we are doing," he says and he is more than half serious.

She finds she does not like that particular possibility either. It would exploit something of theirs that would be sacred and should remain between just the two of them. Then again, at this point, everyone seemed to be of the impression that they had already taken that step together. A step that had definitely not been taken, even the night before. The most they had ever done was some heavy petting but nothing even close to _that_. Instead of feeling frustrated about it, she lets herself enjoy the admission that he too, hoped to one day take that step as she did.

"Activate all the Crystals with one session, then?" she muses with a sly smirk.

"In what way do you love me?" he asks suddenly, bringing them back to their previous conversation and cutting off their veiled innuendos. Genius of him really. Talking about such a thing as they had been when they were both already naked and in a bed was probably not a good idea. Especially when they had not reached a point in their relationship where they were ready for such a step. Not yet. His question was a confirmation that he did want it to happen one day and he needed to know if she wanted the same. It was not hard to find the words to answer.

"In a way that if you ever left me again, I would rather die," she says, squeezing the hand that is still holding hers against his chest. "Not because I _could_ die but because I would _rather_ die than live without you."

He blinks at her slowly as he takes in her response. There was doubt there, warring with a need to believe. Those piercing eyes of his examined hers as he struggled to believe her. The tumultuous emotions were flashing through those beautiful orbs for a moment before he squeezed her hand in response.

"Do you love me?" she asks hesitantly, fearful that he may not even answer.

"Yes," he says without reservation or pause.

"In what way?" she needs to press for the same reasons he has. Though all his actions told her that he did, he has never said it and she found that she needed to hear it now.

"You are to me an object intensely desirable. So much so that it feels like the air I breathe in a room empty of you is unhealthy."

Before she can even think to reply to that, she finds herself thrown onto her back with Noctis looming over her.

"You have filled the emptiness inside me in such a way that I wish I could dissolve into you so that I could fill what was ripped from you and become entirely whole," his voice is harsh and laced with intense emotion as he frowns in thought, staring at her lips but not really seeing them. "You cannot know how it made me feel that night to see that your complete possession of my heart did not mean that I had yours." His eyes look back into hers. "But despite that agony, I would have lived with at least the satisfaction of knowing you were with the one who did."

"Were you angry with me?" she asks and she fervently hopes that he was not.

"No," he says with a shake of his head. "Only at myself for being so self centered for not even thinking such a thing were possible."

He looks ashamed and he was the last that should be.

"Being right does not mean that you were self centered," she tells him. "You know how I feel. I never tried to hide it. You were right to expect that of me and I failed you."

He shakes his head again in disagreement. "I would never consider it a failing on your part, dear heart," he says. "But I feel that fighting about this would only allow my emotions to get the best of me and do something I should regret."

"You would regret doing such a thing with me?" she asked, instantly knowing what he meant. In their lack of control, they would take advantage of their current positions. She knows they would. If not for his restraint, they might have the night before.

"If we did such a thing now," he says, leaning down to kiss her chastely. He takes his weight off her and settles on his side to stare at her.

"We would explode the city, right?" she says, trying to lighten the mood.

He smirks. "Perhaps."

She lets a chuckle escape her, as she wiggles towards him to press her face into to his neck.

"Are you tired?" he asks in that quiet intimate way that only lovers use. It makes her feel so elated and cherished.

"No," she sighs and busies herself with trying to take in his scent.

"The sun rises now," he says. "Will you watch its ascent with me?"

She leans back enough to look up at his face to see him smiling reassuringly.

"Of course," she replies and she feels the light brush of his lips against her forehead.

"Come," he whispers, the warm moistness of his breathe flow into her hair. "With you is the best way to start a day."

He scoots away from her, over to the edge of his side of the bed but not before giving her another smile. She smiles back and turns to pick up the robe she had left on the post of her bed the night before and slides it over her shoulders. Tying the knot to keep it closed, she turns around to see Noctis at the foot of the bed with only his pants on. She stills her heart at the sight of him. He reaches out to take her hand and she takes it to follow him to the glass doors to her balcony. They both stand at the door, his arms around her, as they both stare at the rising sun as it dawns on more than just a new day for them.


	39. Cenaculum

**Prompt: **#29 Attic

**Summary: **So much has happened between then and now. How does one live with only a memory?

**A/N: **This is an unexpected surprise for myself. It's a continuation to one of my one shots not associated to the Lacesco Series. If you haven't guessed which one by the end, I will leave an End Note for you. :)

Cenaculum is Latin for "attic".

_**Cenaculum**_

It has been so long since she had any sort of fun that she can almost believe there had never been such a time. With the increase of years added to her belt, she found it harder to remember what it had been like to be carefree. Vague memories of times long past were more like sifting sands against a strong breeze. There were just too many grains to gather once they had escaped. No way was there to create a full picture of the things that her mind had replayed so often in the years she had been forced to endure. The war had always been there. She was never so naïve enough to think that it was something new when all had erupted. No, it was just that she had been younger and therefore spared things then that she was no longer spared from now. Yet now, now that the war is over and her side utterly devastated in the aftermath, she had time to dwell on those days of innocence. Those innocent days that were so hard to forget yet easy to fade.

Incomplete images of these times lead her to the attic of the hollowed castle. It was a hidden room that she had always escaped to when she was younger and she doubted anyone remembered it now. Among all those priceless mementos of youth, she had busied herself within her own world within the stuffy, dusty room above the busy hustle of the once beautiful Tenebrae castle. It was the best place to try and remember those details that she could not easily call to mind. Her mind which so desperately needed such an escape. She would have thought she would remember just how dusty it was when she finally managed to pry the doorway open and step in. A brief glance told her that nobody had ventured into her childhood haven had been spared the chaos all the other rooms had not. The thought somehow made her feel safe, despite the uneasiness that there might be some rodent or insect in here that she would not appreciate seeing. Or even worse, another person. The war may be over but the dangers had not lessened.

Her hesitation was brief after her eyes settled onto the rows of neatly stacked and lined chests that had marked each year of her young life. Her parents and her nannies had meticulously categorized her life each year and made sure to place any hallmarks within each chest for the time when she would reach adulthood. A very detailed story of her childhood lay within this room. Now, she was past that reach of adulthood and well on her way towards the middle ages now and she can feel the years as they weigh upon her. The chests though, had stopped accumulating after her 18th birthday. Thinking about her life as it was when she was at that pinnacle of feminine beauty, made her cross the dirty, wooden floor boards to that chest first. She knew, instinctively and dreadfully that this chest would hold many things that she had never fully been able to bury and knew it would only bring her more loneliness. Visions and experiences of that year haunted her now and it was those glimpses that had brought her up here again in the first place. No matter how forlorn it may make her, she needed the warmth of their memory.

Even with her hands floating just above the lock of the chest, she can feel the memories assail her. She can hear the sounds that had surrounded her from that cherished time as if she were really back there again. Closing her eyes, she can almost believe that she is there as the pictures in her mind come into sharp focus. She can even smell the same scents that she had taken in on her walks. Such as her walk that fateful day. With shaking fingers, she undoes the latch and opens the lid of the large chest and peers inside. Her brain floods with the flow of the images that she had thought had faded but now they are as clear and vibrant as the day she had experienced them. After taking another moment to savor their return, she looks down and reaches for the delicate conch shell lying at the top of the piles. It's creamy color still as beautiful as the day she had found it. She runs the tips of her fingers along the smooth curves before holding it up to her ear and she can still hear the sounds of the ocean inside.

_Might I have your name?_

She can hear his voice as plainly as she can hear the sounds of the ocean in her ear and her breathe catches in her throat. The effect of that voice is as potent as it had been then, causing a shiver to go down her spine. Visions of puffy pink cotton candy crashing into a pale face and midnight spiky hair. Amused fathomless blue eyes twinkling in amusement as he looked down at her, heedless of how ridiculous he had looked with the tendrils of the sticky confection stuck within his eyebrows. She had never seen a more adorable sight in her life. Everything from that moment on flashed through her mind in a torrent of endless days together. Days of laughter and listless cares in the grips of first love. The warmth of his hand when he held hers, the brush of his lips against hers and the way their bodies had moved together on the dance floor during parties that lasted until morning light. Sleepless days because neither one of them could bear to separate and waste precious hours that could be spent together.

_There is one thing that I need to know._

_What?_

_I want to know what your real name is._

No, she had never told him her real name. There was no point in telling him. What difference would it have made? They would have had to start fighting right there because they were enemies. That was what they did. That is what they have done since that time they had been so young and in love. She had known he was in love with her then as she had been in love with him, because there was no hiding it. They had been too young to know how to be cautious about their feelings. That he had loved her was more important than anything else. He had gotten to know the girl and not an enemy. It was more important than her name. She had given him her heart and he had known that she did. There was no need to ruin everything by telling him her real name. To have given him her name would have torn them apart and she had needed to keep it whole. Call her selfish, but she had needed something whole even then and she needed it even more so now, all these many years afterwards.

_Think of me when you think back on the summer that you will always remember fondly…. I want to be the one that got away._

_If I chase after you now?_

_You won't._

_What if I never see you again?_

_Then we'll still have the summer afterall._

Maybe it was the passing of so many years. Maybe it was that there had been so much destruction and blackness. Maybe it was that she found herself alone. Perhaps a combination of all three that had her wishing that he had chased after her afterall. What would have happened if he had? Would anything have changed? Would it have even made a difference in the things that she had, had to live with after they had parted? Could she have still been able to walk away if she had known that she would never be able to duplicate the feelings she had, had for him? It had been the right thing to do and yet, she could not help but wish that things had been different anyway.

It made no difference now. Her bloom of summer had passed. She knew that more than most. The innocent being that she had once been was no more. There was never going back to the summer as she had once thought of it. All she had to look forward to was the winter of her life instead. The cold bitterness that only awareness can grant, was all that she had now to keep her company. The summer and youth had been so short and fleeting in comparison to the long and endless chill of winter. The warm wetness on her cheeks is almost welcome when everything else about her seems so frozen. She had become ice after being so hardened with the trials of war. The heavy weight of responsibility and the multitudes of mistakes. She could never feel so carefree again. She would never have the burden of responsibility lifted.

Letting out a long sigh of regret, she looks down into the chest again and feels everything as if they were fresh. That summer had so dominated her life that year that there was not much else that she had kept to remember the rest. Compared to the other things, there really was no comparison anyway. She had been happy then. Happy in a way only love can give you. Now, her soul was broken. Who would have guessed that the bright, smiling creature she had been was the weary being now. Her past self would have pitied the pathetic creature she had become. Maybe not pity. Perhaps more along the lines of sympathy and apathy would be better suited. She envied the young this chance at a more hopeful future. One that she had sought to secure while paying the horrible price of her own happiness. It was too late for her and her generation. They were now too jaded, too tainted to hope. The most they could achieve would be contentment. Her contentment would be the safety of her people. She could find a measure of ease in that at least.

Idly, her eyes wandered over the various keepsakes she had collected during that blissful summer with a sad small smile on her lips. Her eyes are moist as she notes each of them. Wristbands from the clubs they had frequented, adverts from their activities, a napkin from the resort she had stayed at, prizes from the games they had played, were all still in here. One thing though, did not seem quite right. In the far corner, there was a mid sized clothe bag that she did not recognize. Well, not immediately anyway. It was only when she lifted the rounded bag to turn it over did she see the slogan of the pier they had spent so much time at. It felt as if the bag had been filled with air, like a balloon. Strange. It was light but not empty. There was no way it could still be so inflated after so long within the chest. She pulls the ties that kept it closed and peered inside.

Her entire body stiffens in shock and she sits back limply on the backs of her calves, feeling weak. Feint and breathless, her mind scrambles for an explanation fo this. How was this possible? Was she dreaming? Was she really still on the battle field, lying within the thin tent that did little to keep the elements away? That was the only possibility. This was not possible at all! She had to be dreaming. With trembling fingers, she reaches into the bag and pulls out the plastic bag within. Inside its clear, protective shell was a massive puff of pink cloud.

Cotton Candy.

"I still want to know what your real name is, Nox," a steady, deeper masculine voice says from behind her. So different and yet the same as the one she had known. The effect on her is the same. _That _had not changed.

A shiver runs down her spine.

It feels almost as if she had summoned him in her revisit to the past. She turns slowly to face the one that could bring it all back to life completely.

He has changed. The years had altered him as it had hers. Youth had vanished from his features and his once loose, laid back stance was now stoic and hard. He, like her, was hardened after so many years of battle. His eyes, those that had once sparkled with amusement, no longer sparkled. They did something else entirely and she is not sure what to make of it. She does not know what to make of the man that stands before her now. Gone was the boy she had known and a man, a King, had taken his place. She had never gotten a chance to be this close to him throughout the years. They had never fought within the same realm of each other. Even when her side had surrendered, she had not been in the near vicinity to see him accept it. She wonder how much of a change he notices in her.

There is more to his statement than just the simple request for her name. He is asking her for the truth that she had been too afraid to face back then. The telling of truth would change what they had been to a reality instead of a mere fantasy. Because within that dreamy summer she was Nox and he was Lucis. They had been two different aspects of themselves. He had not been the prince of the people she had been taught to hate all her life and she had not been the princess of his enemy. Why did he want it to be real now? She feels the warm wetness on her cheeks again as her heart fills with so much emotion that she thinks she will die.

"We are past summer now," she says with shaken breath.

He approaches her in pointed strides before kneeling down to level his face with hers. This close, she can see the depth of his eyes again and feels the pull of him. A pull she has not felt in all the long years she had tried to find it in someone else.

"We have," he agrees, but he does not look as mournful as she feels. "But it has never been far behind us, has it."

It was more of a statement than a question and it amazes her that he had kept those same memories with him as she had.

"No," she agrees this time. "I have never been able to completely forget it."  
This time there is regret in his eyes.

"I should have chased after you that night," he says.

"I should have let you," she counters, because she knows he would have if she had just let him.

He does not say anything in answer to that, but she can see his internal struggle and she feels the need to confess.

"I wanted it to be something to cherish for the dark times I knew were coming."

"Did they help?" he asks and there is bitterness in his tone now.

"Yes," she says and it is true. If she had no future, she at least had a past to think back on. "We were not supposed to happen."

He cannot refute that, even though his eyes tell her that he wants to. Their meeting that fateful summer day had been an accident. They should never have met in the first place. If any of their protectors had known that they had let them meet their enemy in such a casual manner, they would have broken out into war right there. The resulting riots would have been disastrous for that quaint summer village. It had been a completely wonderful coincidence that they had chosen the same neutral place to spend their summer away from the chaos of real life. They had been too young to do anything about their feelings anyway. The truth of who they really were would have caused more destruction than good in the end. She had known that. He must know that too now. Neither one of them had, had a choice either way. It did not matter that she nor he had wanted to live such hard, solitary lives in result. She knows he has not found another.

So many lost years spent fighting between their people until they had reached the inevitability she had always foreseen. He would win. His side would conquer. She had always known he would. What she needed him to understand was that he had needed to conquer it the way that he had or else he would not have grown into the man he is now. As hard has it has been and will continue to be, he would not be who he was now if she had let him chase her that night so long ago.

"But we did meet," he presses but he leaves out the rest. It does not matter because it hangs between so thickly it is useless to have to address it.

"We did," she says with some semblance of a smile. She looks down at the pink cotton candy in her hands and remembers how it had been the instigator. Such a simple confection had started something so complex and deep. "And I would not take that back for anything."

He looks away from her then, to stare at the confection in her hands. His expression is hard to decipher and she tries to hide her disappointment by looking at the treat in her hands too. Did he regret their ever meeting?

"I have not eaten that since," he tells her, causing her to look back at him.

"Would you like to share?" she offers and she does manage to sound teasing this time.

"You are not angry that I have intruded here?" he asks and she finds the question odd. She tells him so but he wants to know if she is angry.

"No, this castle, as everything else within this kingdom is yours," she answers. He had won the war. All that had once been hers was now his by right of his victory. Even this room and all it held within it, belonged to him. She could not and did not resent him that.

"Yet there is only one thing within this kingdom that I really want," he says.

She tries to keep her eyes downcast when she feels his fingers grasp her chin and lifts her face to look back up into his.

"I want to know what your real name is," he whispers.

Her blue eyes widen and she gasps in a breathe. More tears escape her eyes.

"You know my name," she says fearfully now because she is scared to hope for what this could mean. What she wishes it did mean.

He does not look disappointed in her evasion. There is a look in his eyes that she cannot read again. His thumb caresses her chin in a soothing gesture that makes her heart flutter.

"You said if we never saw each other again we would always have the summer," he reminds her.

Her eyes fly to his before she nods, very slowly.

"Could we not have the rest of the seasons as well?"

She closes her eyes against the fresh torrent of tears leaking from her eyes. "I would love that," she says weakly, but she can see that he has read how strong her conviction is within her eyes.

His smile is real this time as he stares down at her. "The Spring and Summer of our lives have passed," he says. "But at least we will have each other to keep warm during the long winter that follows."

She nods with a loud sob, as she reaches up and pulls him closer by his neck and weeps against the collar of his jacket. Clinging to him, because she feels like he is the only thing in their crumbling world that had been and would always be, what was real. Everything else had been the nightmare and the fantasy.

"My name is Stella," she says, wiping her eyes and pulling back to smiles at him.

His smile widens as he reaches and helps her wipe the tears from her cheeks.

"Noctis."

* * *

In case you haven't guessed, this is the sequel to my old one shot, Summertime. :)


	40. Pervigil

**Prompt: **#45 Stare

**Summary: **It's all about perception.

**A/N: **This could really go anywhere, in any verse.

Pervigil is Latin for "ever watchful".

_**Pervigil**_

Noctis was not a man that said a lot of senseless things. All the things he said were always unfailingly sensible. He was not exactly a chatty sort of man either. Oh, he did speak and he spoke quite well. The things that were expressed from those fascinating lips were always the most aggravating, amusing, admiring things that one could hear. Sometimes he did not even need to bother with actual speech because his face told you everything that you needed to know. He had the most wicked sense of humor and quick was not a fast enough word to describe his wit. There had never been a more complex, concise and capable person that she had ever had in her acquaintance. Most amazing of all was that he was shy and a little self conscious.

It took her a long time to figure that out. From the moment they had met, it did not seem like he had any difficulty in getting his views across. Or that it was even possible someone has self assured as he was could be shy at all. Noctis was such a variety of complicated layers. At first, she had thought he really was as aloof as everyone had claimed that him to be. She had been genuinely appreciative that he had spared her a few moments of his time. Everyone knew he tended to keep to himself. Except that in the corner of her eyes, she had seen the expression on his face that belied the tone in which his words had been expressed during their conversation. He had tried to warn her in a manner in which seemed off handed but had been full of meaning. If it had been in her, she might have been a little put off by his brisk manner. Of course she did not have it in her. So she had been even more captivated by him than she had been just staring at him from across the room.

Noctis was just a completely engrossing figure. No matter if he were merely sitting off to the side silently or in the middle conversing with a group of other people. She found that she could not help but stare at him, even when she had been trying desperately not to. Her eyes were always glued to his form. Even if her head was not turned in his exact direction, she always kept him in her peripheral sight. She was always ever aware of his presence. Saying that she fancied him seemed a little too tame. If she were honest, she could tell herself, she was no different than the gaggle of floozies that constantly hovered near him whenever they were in a social setting. When he was with his three constant companions, it was even worse. The giggles and sly glances in the direction of that prestigious group were nauseating and it made her feel just a tad bit ridiculous that she was just as bad. Well, she did not giggle because she found to do so was appalling, but she stared as much as they did.

She can never claim that she had ever been a shy sort of girl. During their first meeting, she had been rather bold. Not only had she initiated conversation with a man that was not prone to appreciating an aggressive female, she had stepped within his personal space. It had been a very hard thing to keep the blush from her face when he had unconsciously stepped away from her, but she had persisted and he had been a little bit receptive. Not enough to inflate her ego but enough to prevent her from feeling completely rejected. She had smiled and she had been herself and she had _not_ batted her eyelashes at him suggestively, but she had found herself feeling uncharacteristically bashful. It had been equally exciting to find out that he possessed the very same abilities that she had, among the other things that drew her to him. Maybe he had even more than her, but she could not find out until much later just how greatly he surpassed her in ability.

Now, things were so different and yet not. Different in the sense that there was so much between them now. There were too many shared experiences and too many moments of open, honest confessions together. True, there were moments where he still made her feel bashful and just as many moments where he would return to the carefully aloof man that she had met that very first night. He was a different person now, though. She was a different person too. They were not exactly as they had been. Which was not a surprise considering the things that they had seen and the things that they had done. What had not changed was that she still found herself staring at him from across a room. The fascination had not diminished. As damaged as she had become from her experiences, she still considered herself to be one of the floozies who still stared at him so unabashedly. Perhaps, that had been the biggest change of all. Unlike them, her fascination had turned into admiration and then it had turned into complete adoration and devotion. Yet, she _still_ felt she was still on their level. That he so surpassed her as he had in everything else.

Stepping out from the party and into the halls of the foreboding castle, she stops in front of a full length mirror and stares at her reflection. When had she gotten so old? It had nothing to do with the number of years she had accumulated. It was not that she was actually old. She _looked_ old, jaded and certainly not as carefree as she had been. Her eyes seemed to have faded from the countless horrific scenes that she had witnessed. She could see, most clearly, that the floozies had aged far better and always seemed younger still. Flawless make up and impeccably cut gowns could not hide the wary being that she had become. She felt so damaged.

"It is a tragedy that you do not see the breathless beauty that I see whenever I look at you," says a voice just out of the range of the mirror's reach.

The voice that belonged to the one thing that made her spirits brighten. Even now, she can feel that slight fluttering in her chest from the tenor of that voice. She keeps her eyes fixed on the mirror until he finally steps within the reflection, his face beside her own. His eyes are entirely focused on her in that intense way that only he can stare at her. She looks intently into his eyes to see the truth of his statement with a wavering doubt.

"There is nothing that you would change?" she asks quietly.

"Not a thing," he answers. He steps closer and she can feel the heat of his body behind her before his arms encircle her waist. His chin rests upon her shoulder lightly as he gazes at her. "Shall I tell you of my favorite?"

"Your favorite?" she asks with a small frown. She does not return his embrace because she feels awkward and unsure, even in the face of his assurance.

"Maybe I should go by rank," he suggests with a contemplative look on his face. His tone has a twinge of teasing but there is a sincerity that makes her heart skip a beat.

She cannot help but look skeptical though. Even though she knew that Noctis was not a man who flattered, she was aware of her imperfections and nothing he said would make her believe they were anything but.

A sad sigh behind her, brings her eyes back to his face and he looks so forlorn that she almost feels ashamed.

"It is an even greater tragedy that you would not even believe me when I say that I think you are amazing, just as you are," he says mournfully. His arms tighten around her a moment before his right hand rises and he places it above her heart.

She watches him blankly as he stares at where his hand rests.

"No truer heart have I ever found," he states, but he does not look up. "The constancy of this heart has been my strength in order to conquer the threat to our world." Then his eyes come up to look into hers. "To have such a heart encased in so lovely a form is a twofold blessing I cannot ever forget and am ever thankful for."

Her mind fails her in the face of that confession. She can only stare back at him with tear blurred eyes.

"How can you not see what whenever you smile my world stops because all I can do is stare at you in amazement?"

She breathes out a shaky smile, thinking he was teasing but the seriousness in his gaze makes her stop. Then he looks mournful again.

"What assurances can I make that you will believe, dear heart?"

"I do not know," she says honestly and that makes her sad too.

"Do you love me?"

The question startles her and she answers without a pause. "Of course I do."

"Is there room for doubt that you do not?"

"Not at all," she replies just as quickly.

"That is the same way I feel."

They stare at each other a moment as she lets that thought sink in.

"Whatever imperfections you think you see when you look at yourself so critically, I do not see them," he says. "There is nothing that I would change and for you to be perfect to me, would be that you never change at all." He taps lightly against her heart. "Let this never change and you shall ever be perfection in my eyes."

"My heart belongs to you," she says easily because that has always been a given to her. "That shall never change."

To her, this is a well established fact that did not require anymore thought. So it surprises her when he lets out a relieved sigh.

"I shall be faithful," he promises. "To be ever watchful of it."

She smiles as she finally reaches up and returns his embrace. He returns her smile and squeezes her in his arms. In her heart, she feels settled now but she can see that now he is unsettled.

"Bright Star, my night sky is nothing without your brightness." His eyes look unsure. Not unsure of the words he had just uttered but unsure if she reciprocates those feelings. It reminds her that as self assured as he always looks, he still needed her to reassure him too.

"Heavenly Night, this star has no reason to exist without your sky," she replies.

They stare at each other through their reflections. Her eyes feel brighter as she looks into his because she has given back to him as he has given to her. She does not think she will ever tire of looking at him. All she needs to do is stop and stare at him and it seemed to make her feel like everything was going to be all right.

* * *

End Notes: This prompt was inspired by "Just The Way You Are" by Bruno Mars.


	41. Periclitatus

**Prompt: **#44 Endanger

**Summary: **War was never a time to have any doubts.

**A/N: **This continues the storyline that was started in Chapter 25, for the Supernatural Prompt. It could also be read alone.

Periclitatus is Latin for "put in peril, endangered".

_**Periclitatus**_

He knew he was moving too fast. His reaction was too rash. To look at him, he is sure that he looks like he is running blindly. It was partially true, but he knew exactly where he was going. It was the lack of deliberation and unknown variable of success as an outcome of this confrontation soon to take place. Most likely he would probably fail. He knows he is dashing too quickly into what was sure to be a heavy battle without a clear strategy. Actually, no planning whatsoever. He knows that what he needed to do was wait until he and his friends could come up with a more solid place. If he would just take a moment to stop long enough to think more coherently. He knows that he should not have come this far alone. Perhaps if he had been rationally thinking he would have. There was no room for rationality when all he can see is the image of Stella being tortured and that was enough to get him to dive into the darkness that he was now descending. They had never had the luxury of time on their side and no more was it evident than now. It was either run now or risk never seeing her alive again. The mental image of her dead body was enough to galvanize him. To see it in reality would be something he would never recover from. He would lose his mind completely. Perhaps he already had with just the possibilities. This was the only option. Getting her back was the only victory. He does not care if he does not make it back out of this. All he can think about is reaching her and getting her out.

That is all that matters.

It had not mattered that everyone had tried their best to reassure him that it was not his fault that she had been taken. They had, of course, fallen on deaf ears because he refused to believe such a lie. It was entirely his fault and he refused to believe otherwise. He was supposed to be their leader. He was supposed to keep them all safe. He was supposed to make sure that the one he loved the most would never, ever be captured in the first place! The ugly truth of the matter is that he had never even gotten the chance to tell Stella how much she meant to him. If she should die without knowing that she had changed him so profoundly, he could not even fathom the degree of regret he would feel. He refuses to think of it like that just yet though. He would not fail her. He would not hold himself back from having her, no matter that they might not ever have a real future together. If all they could ever have were brief interludes amid the nightmares of their lives, he would be happy with that. He would be thankful. A starving man did not reject a morsel of food because he considered it too little.

_It is not your fault._

He wishes he could believe that.

_How were you to know?_

He should have known.

_She knew the risk. You could not have stopped her regardless._

Knowing and accepting were not the same thing. If he had tried harder, he could have stopped her from doing it. He should have risked her anger instead of relenting. The plan had been to lure the enemy to them by using Stella as the bait. A plan that he had refused vehemently, offering himself to be the bait instead. A request that had been flatly denied by everyone else. He was the leader. The whole purpose of the plan had been so that they could take advantage of the distraction so that he and a small group of their most gifted Undeads would have an easier chance to break into the main headquarters of their tormentors. Once inside they were to destroy the files in the mainframe, cutting off their network while helping whatever other Undeads being held captive to escape. A twofold plan that had been a great success. That is, until he learned that Stella had been captured in the chaos that had ensued. It had not mattered that five men had tried to restrain him once he had found out. They had not been able to stop him from storming out of their secret encampment and running as he was now.

Yes, it was a trap. Yes, her capture had been intentional. Yes, he was going to kill them all for having the gall to take her away from him. They tried to tell the public that he and the rest of the Undead were unnatural monstrosities. Well, he would show them just how correct they had been. He had been able to keep the majority of his powers contained. They had never been able to measure just how destructive the full potential of his powers could achieve. They did not deserve the restraint anymore. They would see just how much of a monster he truly was. He would be the last image their eyes would see before the life drained from their bodies.

At least he had never denied that he was a monster. They, on the other hand, had taken the high road by claiming to be normal. Normal, all while butchering people that were considered different. That was more monstrous than anything he had ever done. It was more evil than anything he would ever do. The experiments they had conducted. The torture they had inflicted. The pain they had given made them the monsters.

This confrontation could very well be the catalyst to finally ending the war. No more running. No more hiding. No more fear. This was the breaking point. This is where he would draw the line of his tolerance. No more covert attacks. He was coming. They would not only know, they would see him coming right at them and they would feel fear in knowing that they would not be able to stop him. He was going to end it, now. He would see to it that they never had the ability to hunt down others like him again. What he does hope is that maybe, just maybe, he would have the chance to finally tell Stella how he felt. That he would finally get to kiss her as he had been wanting to for so long he has forgotten when the urge had started. To have her in his arms, even if it were just this once, without the guise of protecting her would be enough. If he were meant to be the martyr, so be it. So long as he was granted this last wish.

_I am coming Stella. I shall not fail._


	42. Nitor

**Prompt: **#37 Beam

**Summary: **The final confrontation is here.

**A/N: **This is the 4th and final part of the story started in Chapter 35: Caecus. It was originally supposed to be 3 parts but has turned into 4. Inspiration is the movie LadyHawk.

Nitor is Latin for "glow, splendor, brilliance".

_**Nitor**_

After the way the morning had started, it hadn't been a surprise when Captain came bustling through the camp in as grouchy of a mood as he'd ever seen him in before. Captain had never really been grouchy, gruff yeah, but not grouchy and he was downright _grouchy_ that morning. He'd understood, which was why he'd kept his trap shut the entire time Captain tore up their meager campsite looking for something. Even though he'd known all along what that something was, he hadn't uttered a peep in help. Priest and he'd been so miserable and cold at that point anyway that they'd just huddled closer to the fire and let the Prince tear stuff apart in his anger.

"Just tell me this," Captain said, after he'd searched through everything, three times. "Where is my broad sword?"

Well yeah, he had known what Captain had been searching for but that didn't mean he couldn't act clueless. Captain was out for blood after he'd just seen what he was forced to live without and he'd been beyond pissed off about being reminded of it now. He'd felt guilt at being responsible for being the one to shove it in his face like that too. It was them that had dug up that hole just so that he could see the Princess and she him within those brief seconds before they had both changed. That had been the point, but now he knew that'd been a stupid plan cause it'd only given Captain more impatience to get to Nihilsomno before they should. He'd looked angry enough to take on the entire Nihil army.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he'd grumbled unhappily as he'd huddled in his hooded cape.

"My broad sword, Mouse," replied Captain through gritted teeth. "The one I always leave for you at night."

"It slipped," he'd said as nonchalantly as he could. "You're going to have to do without it."

"You knew," growled Captain. "You knew why I needed it and you let it slip... on purpose."

"You'd only be going to your death, Captain," he'd cried back, turning to look at him finally. "You're no use to her dead."

"That is exactly why I need all my weapons," growled Captain again as he'd grabbed him by the cuff of his collar and pulled him bodily to his feet.

"You kill the Overlord before it's time you'll kill her too!" he's accused cause _he'd_ be the one who would have to console the Princess when there was nothing that would if Captain died. "You might as well kill her and yourself because that's better than dying a meaningless death!"

Captain had been so angry at him within that moment he was sure he'd smack him into the next century. Fortunately, he'd lost his balance in the next moment and fell heavily onto his back. The impact was not a happy thing to begin with but this time, it was even more so since he'd been pretty cut up by Wolf the night before. He'd almost expected Captain to kick him but when he looked up, Captain was frowning at his chest. It was only then that he'd realized that his cape had fallen open and his fresh, red angry slashes were clearly visible.

"Where did you get those?" asked Captain, still frowning. He'd suddenly looked protective, even though he'd been about to hand him his hide a moment ago.

"He got those last night when he saved your life," grumbled Priest pointedly.

It was clear in that moment that Captain didn't remember things that happened in his wolf form, but he'd known from experience that even when they were in animal form, there was enough of themselves in there that they were equally protective of the other. They'd also been protective of him too since they'd recognized that he was a friend and not a foe. Captain was a fast thinker so it wasn't long before it looked like he had figured everything out. He must've realized then that he'd been lying in a pathetic version of a wolf trap that morning when he'd found himself lying next to Stella. The only logical explanation being that he and Priest had been behind the totally back fired plan that morning. There was no doubt that he'd put that much together when he'd looked at the both of them accusingly. As if they'd stabbed him by doing that and reminding him of something that's never left his mind to begin with. His look had been a little resentful and totally understandable. Taunting him with the reminder that the woman he loved was there, only he could not really have her as much as he wanted her.

That infinite compassion that he admired so much in Captain, was evident in the next instant when Captain had offered his hand to help him off the snowy ground and lifted him up again. Instead of giving him the smack he knew he deserved for torturing him has he had, he'd grabbed him by the ear none too gently and smiled. It wasn't painful, but it was enough to let him know he shouldn't do something like that ever again. But that he still liked him enough not to hit him for it. Noble man that he was and he couldn't help grinning in response to how easily he'd been forgiven.

"I owe you my life then, Mouse," Captain had said and then ruffled his hair. "I will show you idiots how to properly catch a wolf."

He's not sure if it was because they were stupidly transparent in their half baked plan to try and trap him as a wolf that Captain had put everything together so quickly. Even though he'd clearly not liked having to stall another day to at least give Priest's plan a chance, he'd still helped them figure out how to trap him in his wolf form. It made it possible for them to carry out said plot. Not that it'd been easy to trap Wolf even _after_ Captain had explained everything but it'd been easier than it had been before. No dangerous collapsing ice which meant no freezing their fannies off after everything was said and done. Once Wolf had realized that Princess was coming with and she was not in any danger herself, he'd been pretty mellow in the small cage that they'd set him in on the Priest's cart. Not that he hadn't been alert cause he had. He'd just hadn't been growling at them every other second something fierce. Acerbus was tied to the side but neither beasts paid much mind to the other.

When they reached the outer gates of Nihilsomno, he'd slipped out of the cart from the side to reenter the way he had escaped the city before. It felt like things were coming full circle and to say he was a jumble of nerves was totally not enough to describe it. It wasn't the chill or smell of the sewers that had him shivering either. It was that, if anything went wrong they were all dead. A mouse did not respond well to threats, but he'd told himself he'd manage somehow. Worrying would just cause him to mess up and then they would _really _be dead then. So, he was determined not to start worrying. Besides, this time he had a lot of things to do and he figured, if he didn't get over his nervousness Captain would do more than clobber him. In any case, he had to make sure that he remembered just what Captain had instructed him to do so he didn't screw it all up.

Pure stroke of genius that Captain had chosen the middle of the thirteenth peace conference to exact his revenge upon the Overlord. He'd forgotten all about it until he'd worried out loud about bringing a live wolf into the city. Border patrol would've had a fit about bringing in such a dangerous live animal. Captain, endless amount of self control that he was, hadn't been able to answer before Priest had konked him on the head and yelled the reminder of the peace conference currently in session. How the heck was he supposed to remember it when he'd been a tad busy breaking out of the joint and high tailing it out before he got caught. Priorities after all! Captain had snickered at that and Priest had grumbled and he'd scratched his head where he'd been smacked. It smarted!

Then he'd mentioned that doing what Captain had bade him was going to be next to impossible when there were cameras everywhere. Not to mention within a building as important as the castle! Again, Captain had told him not to worry but to make sure that he made a motion with his hand right in front of the first camera he came across. Captain knew where all the cameras were so he made sure to tell him the exact position and exactly what signal he should give the camera. The signal which, to a cad like him anyway, looked like the old archer's way of telling the other side to frak off. Which was perfect since there was no love lost between him and the Nihilsomno guards. He figured Captain felt the same way himself and hadn't even thought to question it. He should have.

Getting inside the city was easy for any mouse and even though he was a tad bigger than the norm, he found the exit he'd used to get out undetected. Being back inside the dungeons below the city wasn't something he'd wanted to ever relive. It was only the hope that he'd be helping two people that _had_ to be together that gave him the motivation. That and the prospect of actually being a hero instead of the coward for once. Something strangely appealing event though he'd never wanted to be brave before. He'd always been happy being the coward. Not anymore. Heck, he'd already gotten scars for them already so he could do something like this. He kept telling himself that all the way to the bottom service entrance. Then he'd almost had a panic attack before smacking his forehead to get his marbles back and picked the lock.

According to Captain, the first camera was at the top right as soon as he crossed the doorframe. So he'd taken a breath, slapped on a cheeky grin and posed the way Captain had shown him. Then made his way down the hall. He'd been expecting the alarms to blare and make him deaf at that point but it was still so quiet that he thought maybe he was in the wrong place. Not that he had time to really let the fear get to him cause Captain had been very clear about instructions. Don't stop, keep going until … well Captain hadn't exactly been clear about that part but, well. He'd gotten to the other end of the hall when he'd been grabbed up by one beefy arm and pulled bodily into a hidden doorway that he hadn't noticed before.

"What the… where…?"

"And who are you?" a rather calm voice asked from behind the giant of a man that'd grabbed him.

"What's it to you?" he asked snidely.

"What are you doing here, Grunt?" growled the man towering over him.

He'd blinked rapidly as he tried to adjust to the darkness and realized that the other guy was sitting in front of various monitors that were obviously linked to the cameras all over the city.

"Just takin' a stroll," he'd answered with his best clueless face.

"Where is the Prince?" asked the man sitting in the chair.

"Heh?"

"We know who you are, Mouse," the smarty in the chair said. "So don't bother lying. The only reason you'd be back here is because the Prince sent you."

"Don't know what you mean," he's said with his chin up.

"How do you think you really escaped the dungeons?" asked Smarty.

He'd blanched at that. It couldn't have been helped.

"We let you," Giant added unnecessarily. "So don't try to con us cause we know better."

"Only the prince knows that signal," commented the man again, who was now crossing his arms. When he'd gotten a chance to get a better look, he realized that the guy was young. He looked roughly the same age as Captain and he wore glasses.

"Do you know the plan?" growled the man closest to him.

"Are you trying to trick me?" he asked crossly.

"Is the Princess here too?" asked the man in the chair.

That got more of a reaction out of him and both men saw it. Smarty Pants did that on purpose!

"He's here to take revenge," the other man stated and it wasn't a question. What he could seen of the man's face, he'd guessed the man looked like he didn't like that idea.

"He can't," the giant answered and there was something about the way he'd said it that immediately got him thinkin' these two were not working for the Overlord. As if that hadn't been obvious before! "He wouldn't do that to her."

"He doesn't have a choice," he found himself saying and both men stopped to stare at him.

"Why?" the man with glasses asked.

"Priest is going to try and break the curse before he kills the Overlord," he explained.

"_That_ man is here too?" the scarred and yes he noticed the scar too now, almost shouted in that growling way of his.

There was no doubt now that these two were friends of the Prince.

"He's here to help them," he defended heatedly.

"He didn't before," retorted Smarty.

"And he feels awful for that, but he's already saved the Princess's life and the Prince is trusting him enough to bring him here."

"As a wolf?" the man asked in surprise. But they'd all known it was the only way.

He nodded and gulped the knot that'd been lodged in his throat.

The two men exchanged looks.

"What were you supposed to do?" Smarty asked, looking at him again.

"I'm supposed to let him in, in the morning when the conference starts."

"He's going to kill the Overlord in front of everyone," Giant said to his pal.

"Nothing the bastard doesn't deserve," Smarty muttered with hate.

"Would you mind tellin' me who _you_ guys are?" he demanded then.

Both them looked at each other before turning to look at him at the same time.

"We're the ones who are going to make sure you get Noct in tomorrow morning," Smarty said with a smile.

It was a genuine smile that somehow had reassured him that their crazy plan was going to work afterall.

Before he could say or ask anything else, the guy had swirled around in his chair and clicked away at the displays. What a way to end a convo! He sure was a friend of Captain's. They had the same mannerisms.

"We have to find where they are and make sure that nobody interferes while Noct's in his wolf form," Smarty explained while typing away into the computer.

"After so long, we're finally going to see the end," Scar said with a mixture of relief and fear.

Five years was a long time to wait. All while trying to make it seem like you had changed allegiances. He'd never have the patience for such a thing so these two guys were something else. They weren't normal to him either, but then normal to him wasn't actually normal either. These two were obviously loyal to Captain and Captain had obviously trusted them enough to let him come in here. That signal that he'd taught him was _their_ signal that he was sent by Captain. Otherwise, the two of them would've probably killed him outright. They'd spent the rest of that night in silence, mostly. He'd tried to be friendly and get to his usual chatter when Giant had glared at him with a clear intent on knocking his teeth in, so he'd decided he'd just try to catch some shut eye instead.

The next morning he'd woken up with a quick jerk from a nightmare where they'd failed and he'd watched as Captain's blood flowed onto the cold stone floor of the throne room with the Princess being dragged away from his dead body. Not a pleasant way to start a day! Giant had looked at him with a mixture of annoyance and curiosity while Smarty merely stared when he'd realized that he wasn't alone in the room. Then things got interesting pretty fast. The Peace Conference was about to start and he needed to get into position. Giant and Smarty seemed to already know what it was they were supposed to do. Apparently, as smart and in control as Smarty was, he couldn't unlock the doors that would let Prince Noctis inside the conference room to confront the Overlord in front of everyone. That was _his_ job. So Smarty told him the quickest and sneakiest way to get into the room to get the job done. Since there were so many different faces inside, it wouldn't be too much of a problem for him to blend in either. Yet another reason Captain was a genius. He was a mouse afterall. He had to live up to his name for sure.

Just before he'd taken off to do his part of the plan, Smarty had pulled up the live feed of where Prince Noctis had told Priest to stay the night before. Watching them on the screen was a little weird after hanging out with them so long. From what he could see, everyone was safe though, which he hadn't even realized had bothered him until then. They had already done the change and LadyHawk was perched on Captain's arm like always. He was staring towards the castle with a determined look on his face with Priest beside him. Maybe it was the look that'd been on Captain's face but he'd been sure only dark thoughts had filled Captain's mind in that moment.

"Now we wait," said Priest.

"Now, I make ready to go," corrected Captain.

"You must wait! If you'd just be patient, you could face the Overlord together!"

"I am going into the meeting chambers and I am going to kill the Overlord for all to see," explained Captain. "If the bells atop the conference hall ring in warning, then you will know that I have failed."

"You can't fail!" cried Priest with a broken look on his face.

"He can't," whispered Smarty in agreement as they all watched.

"What will I tell Stella?" asked Priest, the crestfallen look still on his face. He's sure his own face had looked the same.

It was nothing compared to the look on Prince Noctis' face at the mention of the Princess though. He'd never thought he was a girly man before, but the look almost made him want to get teary eyed for the other man's sake.

"I must beg you, to end her life then," the Prince answered very slowly, even though it was obvious he didn't want to ask such a thing. Such a horrible thing! A travesty! "Ending her life if I fail would be better than condemning her to live for the Overlord to find her. She would not want that."

"I can't do that!" cried Priest.

"You must!" hissed the Prince. "Or the Overlord will find her and you know what he would do to her."

Pretty much every man, the three watching and the two having the actual conversation, looked revolted at that thought. It was the stuff of nightmares.

Before Priest could even try to respond to that horrible image, Prince Noctis held up the Princess' rapier.

"Quick and painless," Prince Noctis instructed. "You know how to do it as she is now."

Priest gulped but he had no choice but to take the rapier.

Prince Noctis looked at LadyHawk almost as if he wanted to say something to her. There'd been so many deep emotions flying across his face then, but shook his head instead. It would've been fruitless anyway since she wouldn't have heard him and he knew it. Still, it wouldn't been better than leaving words left unspoken. Especially when they hadn't exchanged words in five years!

"Take her," he ordered Priest with his eyes closed, like he didn't think he could let her go afterall.

"You're making a mistake!" cried Priest as he watched the Prince straighten and turn to walk away. "If you'd only listen!"

"Listening to you is what got us into this in the first place," came the too calm to actually be calm reply.

Following Smarty's directions had been a relative piece of cake. It took him longer because the patrolling guards were more on point than usual, given the circumstances. Fortunately, Smarty had also given him an earpiece so that he could be warned to duck and hide with enough time to not be seen. Both friends of the Prince, hadn't been too talkative in general but it would've been nice to tell him their names! Maybe they'd just forgotten. Maybe it just hadn't been important considering. Who knows. They were obviously very loyal and that was all that had mattered really. He found himself trusting them as much as the Prince had to have. It was about fifteen minutes later, that he found himself within the very chambers where all the important people were gathered to talk peace. There, in the middle of the room was the Overlord himself. Man, but he was the scariest lookin' thing he'd ever seen in real life. Not a lot of people were crowded around him and he's sure that was because of how diabolical the guy looked. Talk about unfriendly! As cautiously as he could, he'd inched his way towards the outer doors to position himself.

By their calculations, it would take Captain about ten minutes to be on the other side of the doors. So, he'd gotten crackin' as soon as he was able to. It had taken five minutes to get to the darn doors and then he realized that it wasn't a normal kind of lock. Tricky was putting it lightly. Obviously castle security had gotten an upgrade since he'd been gone cause for a moment he'd just stood there, staring blankly at the thing. It was a combination lock that was both electrically complicated and physically simple. There was a hole for a key, but it looked like the key turned once clockwise and then counterclockwise. He'd happened a glance towards the large group of leaders and realized that the guards had spotted him and were coming fast. Not a lot of time left after that. He'd needed to get those doors open! Taking out his trusty foamer, he'd shoved the mouth of the bottle into the lock and filled it with the quick solidifying foam. A quick turn, and the thing did turn, it just got stuck in the number two stage of the unlocking process.

On the other side of the door, he could see the rapidly approaching clunks of Acerbus' hooves coming closer and the hairs on his neck were standing from the guards with deadly intent at his back. Well, sometimes it's the simple things, he'd reasoned at that moment. Before he could think it through properly he'd swung his fist at the knob, nearly howling in pain as his hand connected with the metal but the key finished its second turn and the knob twisted. Within a blink, he'd unhooked the bolt, just as Acerbus kicked open the doors. He'd hung on for dear life at that point and swung with the door as it nearly collided with the opposing wall as the doors burst open to reveal Captain upon his noble steed. Blue light and the sounds of shattering crystals filled the air like a beacon of hope against the evil that already resided in the room. Turning his head quickly, the Prince turned to look at him with a nod of thanks and he'd saluted him before the dark man faced the Overlord and the guards who'd been coming.

He hadn't had time to stay to watch cause he'd had his own side mission to get done before Prince Noctis could kill the Overlord. There were the unmistakable sounds of a fight behind him though and he was sure those guards didn't stand much of a chance. As fast as his little feet could take him, he'd sped through the halls of the castle, heedless of the servants and guards he raced past. Fortunately, Priest had parked his little car at the front and he'd gone into a swan dive underneath it. With a sigh of relief, he'd reached up and taken out the hidden broad sword he had concealed there. It'd been his last ditch effort to try and stall the Prince, but now was the time to get it to its rightful owner.

The sounds of battle were heavy as he'd dashed back towards the meeting room. Even before he could see what was going on inside, he could hear the queasy sounds as swords met flesh and flying bullets. He skidded to a halt at the entrance and saw that the Prince was surrounded by guards. Not just any guards either, but the elite ones that were supposed to be _his_ guards. Shards of crystal were swirling around the Prince as he fought each one in turn. The look on the Overlord's face was a mixture of fear and smugness. Did the man have no sense of self preservation! Not that he cared if the guy was suicidal cause it'd do a lot more good if he just died already. The man obviously had guts since he didn't try to make a run for it.

Pushing through the throngs of stunned spectators, he'd tried his darndest to get closer to the Prince to give him back his special broad sword. When he'd gotten close enough, he elbowed his way to the frontline and flung the sword, causing it to slide towards the Prince's feet. Only, the Prince hadn't been looking at the time and was too busy to anyway.

In a final act of desperation, the kind that demonstrated an almost supernatural kinda strength, one of the guards who'd fallen to his knees threw something large and heavy towards the Prince. The Prince, who'd been standing over the guy, had just enough time to duck and the clunky looking thing flew past him and smashed into the glass panel of the ceiling. The sound of splintering glass was deafening and everyone seemed to throw their arms over their heads to protect themselves from the shards that started raining down on top of them. When he'd peeped out from between his arms, he spied the Prince staring at the sky with a mixture of surprise and awe as the strangely weak beams of light shone all around him like a spotlight. Something about the beams had seemed kinda off and he hadn't been able to figure out why until he'd looked up himself to see what the Prince was staring at. Then his jaw dropped.

An eclipse! Night and Day together. Priest had been right! He'd never seen one before. There hadn't been one in ages since the creation of the Crystals. Nobody knew why they had stopped happening so long ago and now, it was back to break the curse!

"Priest! Wait!" cried the Prince as he'd started to run towards the outer doors, only to be blocked by another onslaught of guards.

He's not sure who was more frustrated at that point. Try as he might, he couldn't get past the throngs of bodies to get back to the door himself to tell Priest to hold off on killing the Princess. That didn't mean that he hadn't tried like a madman to shove those useless people aside. The Prince tried too but he was a bit more blocked off with mean lookin' swords and huge guns in his way. He guessed it was a good thing that all high officials wore bullet proofed clothing no matter where they went these days cause he's sure that a lot more people would have died that day. Bullets were everywhere.

At his vantage point, pushing through the crowds of gawking and ducking dignitaries, he hadn't been able to see what was going on, on the second level. Apparently the Prince could because one moment he was clashing blades with one man before a small dagger appeared in his hand and he'd flung it at something above. The bells! The idiots were trying to alert the rest of the army that something was wrong by ringing the darn bells early! Then Priest would kill the Princess! The Prince had just thrown another dagger upward when two guards attacked him on the ground floor at once. He dropped his sword trying to deflect their blows and had to roll away before they could stab him. His weapons began swirling even faster around him as he got to his feet again and another, thinner sword appeared in his hand. The sounds that came next stopped everyone at once.

He'd felt the blood freeze in his veins as his heart stopped. The Prince's face dropped and his already pale complexion looked ghostly as his head flew up to the bells.

"NO!" the Prince cried in agony. He felt that hollered plea deep in his bones. The magnitude of it was just jolting.

The attacking guards paused in confusion as the Prince looked almost blank and powerless as the bells continued to ring loudly above them.

"Do it quickly," he heard the Prince mutter quietly. Despite the low tone, his voice carried in the hollowness of the room. It sounded so broken. He'd been seeing his ultimate failure come to life.

For a moment the Prince closed his eyes and took a breathe. His lips moved but no sounds came out of his mouth as he bowed his head. There was a moment of stillness as the bells continued to ring above them. Nobody seemed to understand the significance but him and Captain. When the Prince's head came back up, his shoulders had straightened and his posture stiffened in resolve, before turning around and attacked the gawking guards. The two guards hadn't stood a chance after that. One met the blade in Captain's hand so deeply that wedging it back out again was pointless. The moment the last guard fell, the Prince had turned his head and finally caught sight of his own broad sword on the marble floor. His red eyes flew up and spied him in the middle of the crowd. The gratitude that he'd seen in the Prince's eyes had him feeling very much like a fan boy feels when his hero tells him he's done a good job. All smug happiness and then the Prince had nodded to him and turned to face the Overlord for the first time.

The Crystals still twinkled like stars around him as he stepped menacingly towards the Overlord, his intent pretty obvious to everyone in the room. As he got closer to the evil git, the Crystals seemed to darken more and more as he made purposeful steps towards his foe. He didn't think anyone envied the Overlord in that moment. It'd felt like everyone in the room had stopped breathing cause nobody moved a muscle as the Prince got just within striking distance.

"But kill me, my Lord, and the curse will go on forever," spat the Overlord with that defiant look that made you want to smack him. "You must think of Stella."

Okay, not only did he call the Princess by name, he could tell from the rigged set of the Prince's shoulders that it wasn't appreciated. The Overlord must have known his statement would have that effect and the bastard had actually smirked. Then got all confused when the Prince's expression totally changed.

The Prince tilted his head with a mocking smile on his lips. "Stella, is dead."

If there'd been any doubts as to the Overlord actually having any obsessive feelings towards the Princess, which he hadn't anyway, the look of horror that appeared on the man's face was a dead give away. The man totally blanched and turned a deathly pale.

The Prince actually managed to smirk at the look on the other man's face, before the resentment took over. His eyes had almost flamed with his need for fiery vengeance.

"Damn you," uttered the Prince in a low menacing voice. He raised his broad sword up to strike the Overlord and stopped in midswing when he heard the voice of the person behind him.

"Noctis?" the trembling voice echoed through the hall and everyone turned to look at the person who'd spoken.

The Prince swung around so fast you would have thought he'd heard a ghost. Well, he probably thought he had. Because standing in the light of the Eclipse was Stella in human form, wearing the dress that he had faithfully kept in Acerbus' saddle. Behind the Princess, he saw the two friends with Priest, each with smug looks on their faces. Satisfaction was written on all three of their faces. Thank goodness the two friends had gotten to Priest in time! The Prince and Princess didn't move for a long moment as they stared at each other. Both of their eyes glided over each other as if they couldn't get enough of the sight of each other. He saw the realization on the Prince's face as his jaw set and he whirled around and grabbed the Overlord by the collar and dragged his slimy form close.

"Look at her," the Prince growled hatefully, jerking the Overlord's neck as the man tried to cover his eyes from looking at the Princess. ".Her."

Almost as if he couldn't help himself, the Overlord peered at the Princess with a longing look that made your skin crawl. He hadn't been able to give her that gross look for long before Prince Noctis blocked his view with his own face.

"Now look at me," he hissed again and the Overlord couldn't look at anything at his face anyway. Then, without pulling his blade away, the prince took a couple steps back so that the Overlord could see the both he and the Princess at the same time. "Now look at us." The Prince ordered and he'd held his breathe til he was blue in the face as everything got even more quiet. "Look at us!" He'd jumped and gotten goosebumps all over when that shout rang out around them.

He hadn't even known Priest had made his way to him until he heard the other man's sigh of relief.

"It's over!" Priest sighed in relief. "It's all over at last!"

He'd turned around to see the relieved faces of the two friends and Priest and knew that his face had a grin on it too. The curse was lifted. The curse was finally broken! Before he'd thought better of it, he'd thrown his arms around the old man and started crying. He'd gotten a peep as the Prince whirled around to face the Princess in stark relief. The look on his face was something that hit you right in the heart as he looked at the Princess as if she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. Which she was! The Prince's legs gave out and he collapsed onto his knees before her as if in worship.

The sound of the Princess' longing sob echoed as she approached heedlessly towards the Prince. She looked devastatingly beautiful as she seemed to beckon him to touch her with an outreached hand. He caught her hand and pressed it to his lips. She ran her hand lovingly through his hair before lifting her head to glare at the Overlord. The Prince and Princess exchanged a look and he nodded to her. The Prince did not even turn around to see what she would do, completely trusting her and letting her do whatever she felt she needed to do.

There'd been a look of pure loathing on her face when she reached where the Overlord had been sprawled on his hands and knees. He'd looked at her as if he'd actually hoped for one delusional moment that she'd give him another chance. Hadn't last long because she slapped him so hard his head had snapped to the side. It'd been the most satisfying slap in the history of the world as far as he was concerned. Though he'd probably rather have had the bastard's head on a spike instead. She'd been turning to walk away when the nastiest, most demonic expression crossed the Overlord's face. He'd growled something like, "Then no one shall have you," and swung out a knife ready to stab her in the back.

"Noct!" Smarty shouted the moment the Prince whirled around and throwing his broad sword at the Overlord.

There was a sickening sound of crunching bones and punctured flesh as the sword imbedded itself in the Overlord before the momentum threw him back and impaled him on the podium that had been just behind him. As the Overlord choked on his own blood, he'd had the creepiest look on his face as he strained to keep his eyes open so he could keep staring at the Princess until the life went out of his body. Did he mention the man was creepy?

Nobody moved. Then, the Prince made a strangled cry of relief. It felt like the burden of the past five years had finally been lifted from his shoulders. He'd almost looked as if he couldn't believe it was finally over when the Princess touched his shoulder. Then he'd looked up at her and before anyone could blink, he was on his feet. Grabbing her around her waist and swung her into the air with a cry of triumph.

"Stella!" he shouted in relief. Almost as if saying her name made it more real. He lowered her back to her feet and pulled her into his embrace to kiss her hair as she wept into his chest.

She pulled away after a moment to tug on his shirt to lower his head and kissed him.

He had to admit, it was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. The two of them together were probably the most gorgeous couple in history. Their relief was so palpable, it felt like he could breath easier now too. It was like being brought back to life after being in a coma for so long. This story would definitely be told through the ages. This couple would become a legend, because Prince Noctis was nothing short of it. He'd bawled like a baby so shamelessly Priest had smacked the back of his head. To think that he had, had a part in helping them get back together made him feel as if maybe being a mouse wasn't a bad thing afterall.

* * *

Though I am most loathe to repost this here, I have to make sure that this person gets it into their head that: (1) No, I haven't forgotten; (2) No, what you're doing is STILL unacceptable; (3) No, I don't appreciate it; and (4) Yes, I really did mean it when I said I would report you if you did it again.

That said, I am reposting the message I have been posting so that this person realizes that this has to stop.

**This is to the person who feels the need to review each of my prompts with 15+ different FFN screen names... STOP! You think I don't know that you are the same person reviewing over and over again? I am sure that you are not mean spirited and have only the best intentions but you need to stop reviewing each of my chapters as if you actually were all these different people. You have been doing this for quite awhile and I have been silent on the subject thus far but this has GOT to stop. Though it is flattering that you enjoy my stories so much that you are willing to make up all these different screen names to up my review count, it is cheating! So, please stop.**

**If this does not stop, I am going to list all the screen names that I believe are you and alert Admin. I really don't want to have to resort to that but if I have to, I will. This ridiculousness needs to stop.**


	43. Satira

**Prompt: **#48 Sarcastic

**Summary: **Bad first impressions lead to bumpy relations.

**A/N: **I decided to go against the grain for this one.

Satira is Latin for "satire or irony, sarcasm, criticize".

_**Satira**_

If she had to hear one more asinine comment from his lips, she thinks she might just lose her temper and slap him. The visual itself is almost enough to make her smile in satisfaction in response to the blatant hostility in his gaze. Obviously, she had been too kind in thinking that having a decent conversation with him was possible. They had never had any discussion on any topic that had not ended with the both of them red faced and fuming. Actually, she was always the one red faced and fuming while he always looked calm and collected, which only irritated her further. The last "conversation" they had, had together had taken her an entire hour to calm down from. Did he _have_ to constantly be so difficult? Apparently so, if the challenging look on his face was any indication. It seems as if it really is too much to ask that he be a little more agreeable given their current situation.

"No response?" he asks in that taunting way of his.

He had pushed her into a corner so to speak, where no matter what answer she gave him, he would have the upper hand. It was yet another reason for him to undermine her character. The fiend!

"Sometimes I wonder if you have nothing else to occupy your thoughts except to antagonize me," she says instead of answering. "If you need something to do instead of lounging around lazily, I could suggest a few activities."

When he did not utter a response, she looked up to see his expression and internally groaned.

_Oh no, that look was not good._

"Indoor ones or out?" he asks, carefully leaning in closer to her face and he has that deceptively pleasant smirk on his face now.

It was these types of questions that got her into even more trouble. He had deliberately worded it to be taken either in a distasteful way or in a completely innocent way. She knew very well he was not innocent.

"As long as it means that you will let me alone," she answers neutrally.

She can see that he has barely suppressed the urge to roll his eyes.

"And how, Princess, do you think you can find a place to accomplish that?" he asks with that undercurrent of sarcasm he has whenever he says her title. He always made a point of calling her that when he was particularly annoyed with her.

In a literal sense, he was right to think she was being stupid. There was no way he actually _could_ leave her alone, given that they were trapped within the confines of this…whatever it was that this was that they were in. She had not been particularly ecstatic at the realization that she was to be stuck in such close quarters to the heir of the Nihilsomno throne. He had echoed those same feelings just as easily. Not even the prospect of escape was enough for either of them to let go of their lingering hostilities towards each other. She could tell herself that she had at least tried to be civil whereas he had never made any effort at all.

"By turning my back and you actually being obliging for once and ignoring me," she glares back at him. She really did wish he would ignore her because having his undivided attention was pushing her to develop violent tendencies where he was concerned.

"Is that what you want?" he asks in a strange voice that makes her look at him suspiciously. "For me to ignore you?" He clarifies in case she misinterprets what he is asking.

If she did not know how to interpret his looks so well she might have actually been fooled by the serious look on his face, but there was that mocking glint in his eyes that had her temper threatening to explode again.

"Yes," she says through gritted teeth. "I believe I would prefer if you did ignore me for a change."

He narrows his eyes at her as if he does not believe her which causes her indignation to flare. She puts her hands on her hips in an impatient, wordless gesture to display her resolve.

"Fine," he growls through clenched teeth and retreats from her.

She watches him smoothly glide across to the other side of this strange cave like place and sit down with his body turned in the direction of the opening. He glares at it and does not even acknowledge the fact that she is staring at him. Something that he had never failed to point out before. After a few moments of unchallenged staring, she realizes that he really _was_ ignoring her. He was actually relenting to her wishes? That made her instantly wary of his intentions at first, but as he continued to sit there in silence she finds the temptation to sigh in relief overwhelming. Finally, she could actually think about something else besides the annoying man trapped in this place with her. Which ended up making her annoyed with herself for taking that time to think even more about him.

The day they had met had not exactly been a happy memory for her. It had been downright unpleasant. The tensions between the two parties from Nihilsomno and Tenebrae had been so strained already, she had thought at any moment someone would draw their swords. Thinly veiled insults behind insincere smiles had been exchanged until there was on need to even hide it. Both countries have hated one another too long to get rid of their prejudices. It was not long before both sides were openly glaring at the other across the table and to her shame, she had been glaring just as meanly as everyone else. Usually she could manage to keep the negative inside and be the reasonable mediator. Not that time though.

As soon as she had been introduced to Prince Noctis, he had made a not so polite remark about the style of her hair, of all things, that she had gaped at him. His complete lack of decorum had taken her by surprise. She did not think that a man who wasted so much hair wax to style his own hair like a porcupine as he did, had _any_ right to comment on how ridiculous her elaborate hairstyle was. It had been an official meeting. She could not have gone with her usual free tresses. He, though, had always been known for his midnight spiky hair no matter the occasion. The direct offense had been the trigger to their near disastrous visit.

The rest of the visit so far had not faired much better. She considered herself a forgiving person. It had always been easy for her to try and give someone a second chance and give them the benefit of her doubt. Never one to lean towards pessimism, she tried to always be an optimist. However, Noctis had such an abundance of snide, taunting pessimism, that she had lost her optimism quickly. Not only was his manner contagious, he brought out a side of her that she had not even thought existed. She did not think she liked it either. It did make sense, on a certain level, that he would have some animosity towards her people. What she did not understand was why he seemed to target her specifically or why he never showed the least bit of restraint when he did. He had not even _tried_ to be civil. Not that he was malicious, which was probably more aggravating. Every response, every statement, every question seemed to have too many hidden meanings. She felt the constant threat of a skull splitting migraine whenever she spoke to him. Now, she was stuck with him and only him for company in this terrifying space that they currently occupied. Who knew how long they would be stuck together!

One would think that his disposition would be a little bit more favorable since they were both in the same predicament. Assuming he was a rational person, which did not seem likely when he had not stopped his antagonistic behavior in the least. The first thing he had made sure to ask once they had both realized they were stuck here and alone, was whether she had anything to do with it. As if she _wanted_ to be here with him! She could think a dozen other people she would rather have been stuck in this situation with that were not him. Even after she had given her indignant reply, he had not been convinced. That is, until she accused him of the same thing and he had merely shrugged his shoulders and given her the most infuriating smirk before saying, "I am sure you would love to think that." The urge to slap him was so profound, she had to dig her nails into her palms to keep from actually doing it.

What she could not control, as angry as she had been, was the activation of her powers within the confined space. He had to agitated her that it had happened without her wanting it to. The entire place had lit up a golden hue as her rune flashed and crystals floated about her with their orange gleam. He had not even looked alarmed when it happened and she knew _she_ had been alarmed that it had happened without her consciously wanting it to. Not looking the least bit perturbed or intimidated, he had merely stood there and given her a smug grin, which felt worse than his usual smirk from.

"Is this what you consider foreplay, _Princess_?" he had asked with a raised eyebrow.

She had responded with an unladylike slack jawed mouth and the light around her vanished as quickly as it had appeared. The excess bits of Crystals scattered onto the floor and echoed in the hollow space. That had been awhile ago and the antagonizing had continued off and on ever since. She does not know just how long they have been here. From what she could see from where she sat of the outside, it was such that it was not clear whether it was still day or not. They had been out early in the morning when the storm had trapped and separated them from the rest of their party. If Noctis had a watch on him, he was not offering to check it and she was not about to initiate another conversation for the sake of asking. She knew his response would undoubtedly be something irritating.

So she settled for sighing out loud and pulling her knees up to hug them to her body in an attempt to keep warm from the chill. She was absolutely not going to mention that she needed to use the toilette and she was absolutely not going to acknowledge that fact that her stomach felt as if it would eat the rest of her organs in hunger. Of course, her eyes immediately flew towards the only possible place within the cave. It was a far off corner and offered just a little bit more privacy than anywhere else. The fact that it was also behind a slightly high boulder was another bid in its favor. Not only was it a complete indignity to have to resort to exposing the lower half of her body, it was also entirely humiliating that Noctis would have to _hear_ her as she went about her business.

It was not an hour later that she was almost desperate to relieve herself that she did not care that Noctis would most likely make another disparaging comment in response. A quick look at Noctis told her that he was continuing to honor her request to ignore her, which did not comfort her at all.

"I could take it as an insult that you find more interest in a rock than you do me," he comments.

It has been so long since he has spoken that his voice sounds strange in the quietness around them. Not only does the sound startle her, it takes her longer than it should for her to realize that he had been lightly teasing her.

"I suppose you think it is because I am afraid of the dark," she mutters angrily in response.

"Not at all," he says. "It is the fact that you have not ventured over to my side of the cave that clued me in."

She could at least be grateful that he could still distract her from her urge to relieve nature for a few minutes. Otherwise she is sure she would do something she would regret. Like say, slapping that handsome face of his.

The sounds of something scraping along the floor hurts her ears as she tries to see what he is up to. There was no real light where they were anyway, but most of the cave was still visible and he had not been entirely wrong. She _had_ avoided venturing towards 'his' side of the cave to see what was there. Her side was at least a little brighter than his. A moment later, the scraping sounds stopped and the sounds of something large and heavy sliding at the back of the cavern made her get to her feet. She could hear the sounds of whatever it was crack lamely against a spot completely devoid of any light.

"Not much privacy but it is the least we have," comments Noctis and it surprises her to note that he is standing beside her.

She looks at him and then squints to see what he has done. He had managed to somehow move the boulder to an even darker spot to allow them more privacy. When her eyes meet his again, she is surprised.

"If I am to mock you, it will be on my own terms, _Princess_," he says with his customary infuriating smirk before he strolls away towards the outside of the cave. "My terms do not include insulting you for seeing to something as mundane as _that_."

Could he ever say something that did not sound so insulting?

"I am off to see if I can find something to eat," he says as if it was something he did regularly. "Do try to not get lost."

It is in her to scoff at him. Just as soon as she had begun to even think he was not so disagreeable, he had to say something like that! Well! She would have voiced a snide remark in response if she had not been so grateful that he had even thought to accommodate her modesty in such a way. He did not wait for her to even sputter indignantly at him before he was gone in the middle of that fierce thunderstorm outside. She resolutely tried to believe that he would deny her any food that he did manage to find. To believe he would not, would mean she might actually have to start liking the condescending jerk.


	44. Turbo

**Prompt:** #36 Spin

**Summary: **Nothing in nature could quite compare to him.

**A/N: **This is more of a long snippet. It follows Endanger (Chapter 41) but it could also be read alone.

Turbo is Latin for "that which spins; Hurricane, Tornado"

_**Turbo**_

It was hard to say what she was more angry about at the moment. As she paces the small confines of her prison, the only emotion she lets herself feel is the anger. To give in to the panic and fear would only give her captors a show. She would not be reduced to a circus act. So she focused on the anger and that gave her strength. At least that was something she could control. Every so often she let out a self deprecating scoff as she thought about how stupid she had been to become so empty headed that she had gotten herself caught. After evading capture for so long, she had managed to get herself imprisoned on the pinnacle of their biggest victory. The one that would ensure that nobody would ever threaten those like her again. The only reassuring thought in her mind was that it _had_, indeed, been a victory. They had successfully destroyed all the data that contained such highly invasive information on those that were considered other worldly. The Undeads. Such a term was so medieval it insulted her. Just because they were not normal to everyone else did not make them monsters. What was "normal" people anyway? It was so terribly ignorant to hate someone just because they were different.

As dangerous as it had been for any of them to have been taken alive before, it was nothing to how perilous her situation was now. Now they were desperate because they had lost everything they had accumulated from their testing. They were beginning from scratch and she was not patient Zero. She was going to help them with their fresh starte and they would not be kind. They would not even bother to make sure she stayed alive no doubt. In their desperation, they would not take any of the precautions they might have before. That and they knew who she was. There were not many that did not know who she was. Most importantly, there were not any that did not know who she was affiliated with. There not a soul on the planet that did not know who Noctis was. Their fear of him was going to mean her death. Which leads her to another reason she is currently angry with herself.

No matter how many times she promised herself that she would confess her feelings to Noctis, her courage had always faltered. Why was it that she could face the hateful persecution of her oppressors without any trace of fear but she could not tell Noctis that she loved him? She trusted Noctis. She trusted that he would lead her and those like them through this genocide. She trusted that even if he did not feel the same as she did, he would not be unkind. Yet, she could not trust him enough to tell him that he possessed her heart, her mind and her entire being? It seemed completely contradictory. Though, fickle female that she was, she could not be completely happy with his impulsive and badly timed declarations when they were in a tight binds. He never said such things during a reprieve from danger nor ever given her a chance to even respond when he did drop those confessions on her. She knew that he cared about her. She knew that he would do anything for her. She knew that, deep down, he did love her and to think that she would never be able to have her moment, made her very resentful. Now, to make her feel even worse, she was going to be responsible for delivering him to these beasts.

This was likely not a situation she would come out of alive. If she even got out at all, that is. The facilities that they had raced her to was like a fortress. It was impenetrable as far as she could tell. Not only did they put her in a clear glass containment unit with no privacy whatsoever, they had developed a type of collar that prevented her from using her powers. Every time her rune tried to activate, it seemed to drain her of her strength. If they thought that this would make her fall to her knees in abeyance they had another thing coming! So no, there was no way for her to escape at the moment and from the looks of things, they did not even have the intention of ever letting her out unless they had made sure she was completely knocked unconscious first. They certainly did not seem to be taking any chances. If things were that bad and the facility that well equipped, she could only imagine what it was like outside. Which would mean that Noctis would most likely get caught if he tried to rescue her and she knew he would try.

In fact, she could feel him coming. It was like his approach had alerted her inner radar and her all senses had zeroed in on his person. She would not include it among the talents she had been given. It certainly did not work for any of the others. It was only Noctis that seemed to fire it up. Just like she could always feel when Noctis' eyes were trained on her felt like a physical caress. The air around her starts to feel like static. Her skin felt like it was a sparking fuse. Energy was charging all around her and it was not until her collar started to itch that she realized that it was not just her imagination. Something was happening and she could tell from the sudden fear that radiated from the people outside her cell, that it was not them that was causing it.

The first jolt made her stumble but she managed to keep herself on her feet. The second jolt had her feet flying out from under her and she found herself sprawling on the cold, sterile floor. The third jolt took the entire roof off the huge laboratory housing her cell. What had been the ceiling lifted away like a lid to a jar and flew away. Debris littered all around her containment cell and it may have been the one time she thanked her captures for putting her into something so solid. Pieces of metal, shards of glass and tubes of piping fell down onto the floor in a storm of chaos. Several of the people that had been preparing to test her are crushed under the weight of the falling objects. The screams and sounds of panic echo distantly, but she was too busy staring above them. It was then that she got a clear view of the sky and what she saw stunned her in amazement.

It was like being within the eye of a hurricane. The small area she was in, was entirely surrounded by a whirlwind unlike any that nature could possibly create. She knew that this was not nature at all. This was something that far exceeded it in strength. Whatever nervousness she had felt a moment before vanished at the sight of the beautifully terrifying sight. Within the spinning winds were the unmistakable flickerings of Crystals. The accompanying sounds were like windpipes catching a strong breeze as the rush of the wind grew stronger. The walls of her cell that had been trembling by the force now began to crack. She watched the cracks grow larger and larger as they reached around the entire circumference of her cell. Then it shattered, outwardly, and she was standing exposed within the eye of the fiercest storm she had ever witnessed.

And she was also not alone.

"I have come," he says, standing before her suddenly with his hand reaching out for her.

Her heart pounds within her breast as she takes in just how magnificent he looks right at this moment. Unleashing his fury in such a turbulent display to come to her rescue caused a shiver to go down her entire body. All this was for her. His eyes were flashing a dangerous red. His black hair struck out like flames. His body radiated a power that could not be measured. He was a force that even nature could not compare to and there was nothing she would rather do but what she always did.

"And I will follow," she says, taking his hand to let him lead her wherever he may.


	45. Termino

**Prompt:** #30 Contain

**Summary: **Exposure was something that needed to be avoided.

**A/N: **This would be considered a companion piece to the Sarcastic prompt. The message in here is subtle, yet obvious if you look between the lines.

Termino is Latin for "set a limit to".

_**Termino**_

Something was obviously dreadfully wrong. Why else would they be stuck together for so long? No matter how she reasoned, that was the only thing that made sense. Stranded for an hour is one thing. It had to have been hours now since they had sought shelter in this cave. As advanced as Nihilsomno was, could they not have come with an airship to pick them up long ago? When her rune had involuntarily flashed earlier, she had completely overlooked the fact that her rapier had not appeared in her hand as it usually did. Noctis had not even bothered to use his powers at all since they had come into the cave. Actually, he had not used any of his powers since the storm had begun. These factors should have come to her earlier, she mentally berated herself. She had allowed herself to become so distracted with trying to control her temper towards the prince that she had not noticed all these vital details before. Only now that he was not within the immediate vicinity. This left her with her own thoughts with no distraction from him and she is not sure she liked this. As all this sank in, she gave way to nervousness. What was going on?

Her blue eyes wandered towards the blazing storm still raging outside. From what she could make out, it did not look as if it were ready to abate in the least. They might have to stay here all night at this rate. She had never been in a storm like this before. Flash floods were one thing. It could not be considered a "flash" if it lasted hours at a time, did it? She tries to think about the moments just before she and Noctis had been separated from the rest of their group. Dawn had barely risen when they had set out to go on this hiking excursion. Being more of a night creature, she had not really been able to focus properly at being up so early in the morning. Which was most likely the reason her memory seemed to shoddy. She hardly remembered how she had gotten out of bed, let alone fully aware of the vivid display of nature that had been around her as they hiked. Half of her mind had still been asleep. So, her lapse in memory was not a surprise. It had not helped that she had not had anything resembling rest either. The prospect of spending an entire day out of doors and in the company of the prince had not been appealing to her. The predictable barrage of unflattering comments that Noctis usually threw her way had kept her up.

Despite her better judgment she could not help but feel the anxiety rise within her as the minutes ticked by. She had no way to gauge how long Noctis had been gone but it has been longer than she would have guessed. Not that she liked his company. It was just that, after realizing how perilous their current situation was, she really did desire company. Even if it had to be _his _company. At least when he was here he could distract her from her distressing thoughts. She reminded herself of the thoughtfulness he had displayed in giving her as much privacy that could be provided when she had been in desperate need to relieve herself. At least he had shown that he was not completely immature about things. He had called it a mundane thing. It sounded so mature for a man who pointed out every vain flaw on her person. The remark was almost a contradiction to his general behavior. If anything, she had expected him to capitalize on the opportunity to torment her further. Instead he had managed to lift that heavy boulder over to an even darker spot for her. Then had promptly left with the promise of food. As pale as he was, she had not pegged him for an outdoorsy type of man. Appearances were definitely deceiving in that regard. How did one stay so unnaturally pale when one was out of doors for such long periods of time? Did he only go out at night or during cloudy days?

It was easy to resent Noctis. No, it was _easier _to resent him. She knows she should be glad that he turned out to be such a cad. His being such made it easier for her not to like him. She would be a liar if she denied ever finding him attractive. Not only did he have an illogically handsome face, he exuded an aura of power. From the firm set of his shoulders to the fierce concentrated intent of his eyes, she could not help but be attracted to him. It was only when he opened his mouth that he was not so appealing.

During her visit she had, had ample opportunity to observe him with others. For the majority, he stayed to himself. She noticed he conversed more easily when one of his three companions were with him. When not, he was all cool aloofness. The very image of the self assured, conceited prince that everyone knew him as. There was always an abundance of ladies who vied for his attentions too, which really came as no surprise. Though he did not seem to have a favorite, he clearly preferred some over others. His shoulders shifted from varying degrees of stiffness at the approach of certain ladies. Since he never smiled, it was hard to say what causes these ladies to laugh so boisterously when in his company. Especially when he never seemed to even have a humored look on his face when they did. If they heard the infuriating things that came out of his mouth she hardly thought they would laugh like that.

The blatant altogether insulting fact was that he never spoken unkindly to any of them, no matter how stiff his shoulders became in their presence. His mockery and his double innuendoes were solely reserved for _her_. No matter how nonchalant he seemed towards them, he was keenly conscious of her. Not conscious of her in a good way either. He seemed to enjoy ruffling her feathers. Almost as if he considered it a highlight of his day, when he managed to get her cheeks to flush and her eyes to flash with anger. Most men would know to retreat at such a sight but he seemed to revel in it. She was beginning to wonder if he was a sadist. Nobody should look that smug in the face of someone else's barely contained rage. The cad!

A spiky shadow loomed from the entrance of the cave then and her head shoots up to look at the very focus of her thoughts. It should have bristled that his presence made her feel relief instead of dread. It was darker outside now so that his face was partially concealed in shadow. There was very little else to notice anyway when his eye was glowing such a vibrant hue of red. It reminded her of a sniper's beam just before the bullet impacted with the target's skull. There is rainwater dripping all over him and off the spiky tips of his hair. A few drops slide down the side of his face, drawing her attention. She was enthralled by the picture he made standing there as he was. A dripping menace of pure predatory masculinity was a rare thing to behold.

"I do not have a handkerchief," he says with a tone that should have warned her.

"What?" she asks blankly, blinking her eyes in confusion.

"For the drool coming out of your mouth," he answers with that mocking glint she was so familiar with.

To her utter horror she realizes he was right! She _was_ staring at him with her mouth open like an idiot!

"Shall I be seeing your membership application to my fan club now?" he inquires, drawing closer toward her.

"Figures you would actually endorse one," she manages to sniff back at him with a lift of her chin. She folds her arms against her chest to keep from taking a swing at him.

The sounds of two stones striking against each other catch her attention before small sparks of yellowish orange flicker in her eyes. Had that pit and flint always been there? She hopes not! She would never hear the end of it from him. The sparks catch on the dry leaves already gathered before Noctis begins to add small twigs to strengthen the flames. When there is enough light she can see, to her shame, that there was, indeed, a pile of wood inside for a fire. She is sure she could not feel anymore useless.

"Being afraid of the dark is counterproductive in times of survival," Noctis comments as he adds larger twigs to the slowly building fire. "We are not the first to seek this cave for shelter." That statement does not make her feel the least bit better.

Not that he was trying to make her feel better anyway.

"I was never trained on how to survive in the wilderness," she says defensively.

"That is obvious," he remarks and she is not sure if he is mocking her again or not. He does not look at her as he strokes the flames a bit more.

There is enough light now to notice that he had brought something with him. She can feel her stomach garble at the sight.

"You went fishing in the middle of a storm?" she asks in surprise. She really did not mean to sound insulting with the question. It had been a shock to see him with fish.

"You would prefer I brought in a wild boar for you to gut and skin?" he asks and it is clear he has been insulted.

"I did not mean it the way it sounded. I am sorry," she explains, trying to nullify him. "I would have thought it more of a challenge to catch one given the weather."

He looks up at her with those searching red eyes of his. It should have alarmed her but seemed to be oddly comforting instead. Her petulance must be visible because he does not look as annoyed when he looks back down to the fire. She watches him closely as he uses a knife to scrape the loose bark from a branch.

"It is not so difficult when the river is over flooded," he comments with a shrug.

She takes the time to look over his outfit and wonders how he could go hiking in black leather. Not to mention going out in the rain and braving a raging river to catch fish. It seemed a shame to ruin such remarkable skin. The natural smell of the leather is also comforting as she feels the warmth of the fire and wonders why he has not made to take at least his jacket off. She would absolutely, positively keep her mouth shut up against even suggesting that. There was no end to the amount of things he could use as a response to such a suggestion. If he did not care about staying in his drenched clothes, she did not either.

"Sashimi would be easier to fix up but the lack of soy sauce lowers the appeal," he says out of the blue.

The statement is said so casually that the giggle that escapes her is completely involuntary and she is just as shocked as he is when it comes out. His eyes fly to hers in surprise. Maybe more confused than surprised. It was probably the first time he had ever heard her laugh before. She hoped he did not think it sounded like the fake insincere laughs that the other women at court let out in front of him.

"If you had caught a salmon I might not have agreed, but I definitely have to agree if that is a trout in your hand," she adds nodding towards the fish in his hands, before he can comment on her giggling.

He looks at her a moment too long, but she can see that the pause was not from indecision.

"I have always hated the tiny bones that get stuck in your throat," he confesses at last. He frowns down at the poor thing as if it was directly responsible for that.

She almost lets out another giggle but sobers herself this time.

"Maybe sashimi is the safest way to avoid that?" she suggests with a smile.

He looks at her again with another unreadable expression before answering.

"I am not a chef so it would either be pan seared or very well done," he admits.

She lets out a low chuckle.

"At least we do not have to worry about freshness," she comments, holding out her hand for one of the two that he has with him. She has a brief moment of pause wondering if he will deny her one but he hands one over without a word. Before she can ask him if he can spare a knife, he hands her a small dagger as well. Bringing it closer to her face, she can see the ornate markings within the hilt and along the blade itself. Trust him to have a dagger that was nothing short of exquisite.

"Careful," he chides without looking up from his cleaning. "Human blood does not substitute for soy sauce."

She manages a smile before turning back to scaling hers.

"Why are you not worried about us being stranded for so long?" she finally has the courage to ask.

"These storms interfere with Crystal energy," he explains.

She pauses to look at him.

"Which is why our powers do not work," she states, more for herself than for him. "They cannot be natural then."

"Many would argue that the Crystals are not exactly natural either," he replies. Then he gives her a pointed look. "Nor are we exactly natural for that matter."

"Is that why you looked so calm when my rune activated?" she asks. "You knew it would be useless?"

He stops to look at her pointedly again. "_Princess_, you would not have hurt me either way."

There was that mocking tone again. Just when he was beginning to act so decently. Did he really have to say things that should be considered a compliment as an insult? Not that she was insulted that he thought his powers superior to hers. She knew she was not as powerful as he was regardless. Yet, there was something about the way he had said it that gives her pause. There had been a note that had not sounded completely insulting.

"I have been told that I have a very good jab," she says and she knows it is obvious that she is reaching.

"I am surprised you even know what a jab is," he snorts.

"I am not above handing out punches if I have to," she says with a glare at him that lacks the same heat as it usually did.

"Which I am sure does wonders for your manicure," he retorts.

"Are you implying that I do not get my hands dirty?" she demands.

"More a statement of fact, actually," he answers.

She puts the dagger and the trout on her knee to glare at him. Her glare _is _heated now.

"What is stopping me from smacking you right now?"

"Knowing that I would retaliate," he counters easily, but he puts down his own dagger and trout to look at her evenly.

"I can take a hit," she challenges him.

He smirks at her again and she really _does_ want to slap him.

"I can think of many other ways to respond in kind, _Princess_," he tells hers with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

She is not going to acknowledge that it makes her feel tingly! She rolls her eyes instead.

"Careful, Your_ Highness_," she says just as mockingly as he does. "I might actually think that you are coming on to me."

The frown that he responds with is not what she was expecting. Neither is the intense glare he sends to her lips that makes her feel almost lightheaded. For one moment she has this incredibly insane notion that he wants to kiss her. That the rest reason behind his ever present resentment was because...

"Projecting your own desires onto me is unseemly," he counters with a dismissive shrug and returns his attention to his trout. "Are you not a _Princess_?"

She nearly stabs her finger when she puts a little too much pressure on the dagger in response. At least they were back on the comforting ground of grating on each other's last nerve.


	46. Fastidium

**Prompt:** #15 Disgust

**Summary:** You are your own worst critic.

**A.N:** Part of what I would call, The Undead Verse.

Fastidium is Latin for "disgust, scorn, disdain".

_**Fastidium**_

The party was in full swing. Somehow it had been decided amongst the rest of The Undead that they would have a week long celebration to commemorate the fall of their oppressors. She even had her own special day within the festival, which made her feel a little uncomfortable. The last day would be solely dedicated to Noctis himself, for being the beacon of hope and leader of their resistance. That, she thought was appropriate. She knew that they needed this. They all needed to feel the liberties that they had long been denied for something that they had no control over. It never occurred to _them_ to think that the development of their talents terrified them just as much. Their lives had been an overwhelming mixture of controlling what they could do and fighting against those that hated them for simply having the ability. There was not a single one among them that did not deserve to celebrate as hard as they were now. They were currently on Day Four of the festivities and the enthusiasm only seemed to grow as the week progressed. Her special day had been the first day and she was glad to have that over with. It was oddly disconcerting to be paraded around and hovered over by everyone. Her dramatic escape from the clutches of their enemy had been met with an uproar of pride. It did not matter that she had, had nothing at all to do with her own rescue. She is just glad that Noctis was getting his proper due. He deserved all the recognition he could get.

She does not know what to make of how things had shifted since her rescue. When Noctis had appeared in front of her amidst the turmoil that he was responsible for all around them, he had seemed uncharacteristically stoic. True, he was very good at remaining completely composed, even in situations that deservedly called for panic. He had always been a little bit different. There had been a hesitation in him that seemed out of place. Never, had she gotten the impression that he would hurt her. It had not even crossed her mind. She had taken his hand with all the unflinching trust that she always had in him. The journey back had been quiet though. He had not even embraced her and when they had returned to their encampment, they had not been given an opportunity to have a moment alone. His hand, though, had remained possessively laid upon the small of her back, keeping her close to his side as they had been bombarded with relieved friends. It had not left her back until they had said their good nights late into the night. The reluctance that had been evident when his hand slowly moved away from her was her answer that he wanted to talk too. It was one of the many cons to loving a leader, she muses. Noctis was never completely alone and there were always too many priorities on his list.

Despite her prediction that Noctis would come for her no matter what, was still not enough to prepare her for the stories she heard once she had settled. She had awoken the next morning to find that Noctis and his companions had gone to face the High Council of Nihilsomno to demand his throne. Her presence had not been necessary but she still felt a little bit dejected that he had not wanted her there with him. He had been gone for a week and within those seven lengthy days, she had heard bits and pieces of just how unreasonable Noctis had been once he had discovered she had been captured. Had he really ignored the warnings and advices of his friends to run after her? That is exactly how they worded it. He had just run. He had run to her without thinking about any of the consequences. It sent a thrill through her heart as it also drew a frown. The woman in her was elated that he would dive, head long after her when she was in peril. The leader in her was shaking her head that he had not even stopped to think of a plan. The normally level headed prince had lost his balance because of her.

It was also during that week long separation that it had been decided that they would have a grand celebration. There was little chance that Noctis could be denied his birthright now that there was nothing to stand in his way from claiming it. The regime that had been designated to annihilate those of their kind was gone. There was nothing to challenge Noctis now. So the preparations for a week long festival had taken over as they waited for the news. Still, it had not made the time go by any faster. The seconds, the minutes and the hours dragged all the same. She had still been able to feel each as they crawled by her while he was not there. To feel that void where his ever invading presence usually invaded her senses was almost like missing a large piece of herself.

His return had been met with another endless line of welcomes and issues that he had, had to see to. All she had managed was a distant exchange with his eyes and a small nod from each to acknowledge the other at first. His neglect in taking her with him on his journey had shaken her assuredness that she was important to him. She knew that he felt the need for a resolution between them just as much as she did, but that did not mean the result would be what she wanted. Those insecurities vanished a moment later, when the crowds noticed her behind them and parted for her. A direct line opened up between her and Noctis, a decisive move by the people acknowledging their significance to each other. Noctis never took his eyes away from hers as he reached out for her and she quickly made her way towards him and stayed by his side. He managed to squeeze her hand before they were both distracted by everyone else. The contact, after a week without, was more comforting than words. When he leaned in to whisper in her ear a moment later, she felt her entire body sigh in relief.

"Soon," he promised with his lips lightly pressing against her ear.

It was the promise that had kept her hopeful. Now, she was standing in the center of Nihilsomno, amidst a grand party. At the end of their seven day celebration, Noctis would be crowned King and a new era would begin. It was an accomplishment that she had never dared to hope for. For so long, all of them had only been focused on staying alive and helping those of the Undead that had been captured. Their success had not had much of a winning chance but through clever strategy and endurance, they had made it. She knew Noctis too. He had never mentioned it to her, but she knew that he had every intention of sacrificing himself for the greater good. Surviving to the end had not crossed his mind. That greater good, he hinted at in very subtle ways, was to make sure to place her on the throne of Tenebrae when all was won. He had not been fighting for his own freedom. He had been fighting for hers.

The night air is chilly. A crisp breeze blows through the jungle of high rises and the skirts of her white dress flutter against her legs as she walks. It feels like it is leading her to where she already knows she has to be. The sounds of merriment are distant now and the streets on this end are empty. Her heels click against the pavement as she makes her way to the place that seems to beckon her. As if in welcome, a strong breeze blasts open the lobby doors as she makes her way up the steps and it gives her a push towards the elevators. Once the cab opens, she enters, keeping her back to the glass panels. She is not interested in facing the city that slowly lowers in her ascent to the top. The loud ding of her arrival makes her breath hitch as the doors reopen to the observation deck.

The muffled sounds of water draw her eyes towards the enormous aquarium centered in the middle of the room. It was like being given a glimpse of what life was like under the water. The dazzling colors of coral and dancing fishes with the foreboding presence of a shark was a window to another world. As she walks past it, she wonders why it was so easy for this multitude of various creatures to live so harmoniously when she had, had to fight so hard to live amongst her own species. She doubted one reef discriminated against another simply because they were differently hued. Was man really intelligent if he could not get past petty differences?

Taking the steps one at a time with a racing heart, she slowly makes her way to the top. The portrait of Etro stands as it had before but it was not the goddess who held her attention. It is the figure that stood before her. His back is to her as hers was to him that night. He does not turn but she knows that he has been aware of her presence since she first entered the building. She stops when she is just a few feet behind him, looking at the portrait as he is.

"Is it significant that something so grotesque is considered beautiful?" he asks in a breathy whisper.

She turns to look at the back of his head, but he still does not turn to look at her.

"In the eye of the beholder," she reminds him.

"Does that mean that nothing is really ugly?" he asks.

"I suppose it does," she agrees.

"I think this portrait a thing of beauty," he says. "It so faithfully depicts the nature of man. It is how I envision myself."

She takes another look at the portrait. The pale, deceiving stance of restful peace hid just how quickly the goddess could ensnare one towards their death. It would easily be considered dark and wicked. She could certainly see many not thinking it beautiful at all. The light always shone more brightly behind this particular portrait though, as if it were really the goddess herself within their presence. As if this was the doorway Etro opened, as the story told.

"I suppose you are just as pale," she says teasingly.

She hears the quick puff of amusement that escapes him as he finally turns his head to regard her.

"And can you look at me without feeling at least a vague sense of disgust?" he asks.

"Digust has never included itself in my vision of you," she says bluntly.

There is a very small upturn at the corner of his mouth at that and she tilts her head to look at him playfully before walking backwards in hopes that he will follow her.

He does.

He walks behind her as she leans against the railing to look out into the city. The raging party beneath them is only a dance of lights from so high up. His arms are around her a moment later and she feels him bury his face in her hair. She squeezes the hands that are entwined against her middle and listens as he lets out a sigh of relief. The incessant need to have "the talk" with him subsides as she feels him relax behind her. Incessant turns to patient now. It suddenly feels as if they have plenty of time to get to that. When he moves his face to rest his chin against her shoulder, she leans her head back to rest against his shoulder and lets out her own sigh.

"Will you stay with me?" he asks quietly. He almost sounds bashful which, did not seem possible from Noctis.

"As long as you need," she reassures with a pat on his hands.

"I need you as long as I live," he reiterates.

"Then that is how long I shall stay," she promises.

"It would probably seem less ominous if I told you I love you," he says sardonically.

"Is that what you are telling me?" she asks turning her head slightly to smirk at him.

"It is absolutely ridiculous that I am more afraid to tell you that then facing death," he says, shaking his head at himself.

"At least you finally said it," she says. "I have not had the courage either."

"Is that so?" he asks with a teasing note in his voice.

She wrinkles her nose as his breath tickles her and he lets out another puff of amusement.

"It is impossible not to," she accuses.

"What?"

"Loving you," she says and is very aware that he pushed her on purpose.

"Does that mean you do?" he asks a little too innocently to be sincere.

"Relentless," she chides, pulling away to turn fully and face him.

"Determined," he says.

"Disturbingly handsome," she adds.

"Disgustingly evil."

"Deliberately self deprecating," she frowns.

He shrugs, not even bothering to deny it.

"You forget dashing, daring, debonair, devastating," she adds. "And my personal favorite, darkly seductive."

He raises an eyebrow at that.

"I suppose that is only fair."

"Why?" she asks.

"Because you are brilliantly seductive yourself," he answers, leaning in to kiss her nose.

"I wish you would not hate yourself so much," she says seriously, looking at him beseechingly.

"I could have killed you that night," he says, but he stops when she shakes her head to cut him off.

"No, you couldn't," she says firmly.

"I could very well destroy everything if I let it free, Stella," he says.

"Then it is a good thing it was you who was gifted that power," she says. "There is no one else that would be capable of keeping it under control."

His eyes grow distant as he thinks this over. The argument is at the end of his tongue but she distracts him.

"Even if you did destroy everything," she says, stretching onto her tiptoes to kiss his nose. "That would only mean that we would be alone."

He smirks at her gall.

"And be disgustingly evil together," she adds smiling brightly.

This time he grins.


	47. Omnino

**Prompt:** #23 Everything

**Summary: **Priorities change through time.

**A/N: **This continues the Noctum/Eclipse verse.

Omnino is Latin for "Entirely, wholly, completely".

_**Omnino**_

The blissful haze of sleep is chased away with the insistent tug upon his sleeve. His eyes open sharply to look at the one waking him. From the ease of his body, he immediately knows he must not have been asleep long. His limbs had not fully relaxed and his mind was not as clouded as it would if he had. He doubts it would have made a difference if he had been in a coma. As his eyes focus intently on the small creature trying to bring him back to the land of the wake. The worry immediately overtakes him at the frightened stare of his oldest.

"What is it, Little One? Is something wrong?" he whispers, sitting up quickly and looking down at the small face studying him with imploring eyes.

"Scary 'gain, Da," came the mumbling reply. The small body is trembling from the aftershocks and he feels his heart clench.

"Another nightmare?" he asks sympathetically. He reaches over and ruffles the midnight spikes that so closely resembled his own.

Lunae nodded in the affirmative.

There was not much space left over from already having Lumina on Stella's side of their bed, but he would never deny this comfort to his son. Gently backing away to give him enough space, he lies on his side facing the boy and smiles.

"If they come in here, you can sure your mother and I will slay them," he reassures with a whisper, holding out his arms in an embrace for his child to climb into.

Lunae shakes his head and remains standing where he is.

"Not yet, please," the little one answers more coherently now that he feels less frightened.

He can already tell that he will not get any sleep this night. Sleep would most likely not be gained in a long while. His son was proving as much of an insomniac as he was. After a brief look to make sure that his wife and daughter were still asleep, he gently lifts the covers off himself. Lunae makes room for him to swing his legs onto the floor. The cold surface bites into his feet, but he ignores it as he lifts his son onto his lap.

"Are you sure you do not wish to sleep a little before light, Lunae?" he asks, with only a vague hope that he actually would.

Lunae makes a grunting sound in the negative as he shakes his head vehemently. His small hands grab fistfuls of his shirt to press his point.

He reacts by immediately making soothing sounds of reassurance to calm his frightened boy.

"Dreams, no matter how terrifying, can always be escaped from. You will always wake and find me there to protect you," he promises, putting a hand to the back of his son's head and pressing his little face against his chest in a comforting hug. "Do you believe me?"

"Yes, Father," answers Lunae, his voice completely steady now. The tension inside his little body starts to lessen as he listens to the louder, steadier beat of his father's heart.

When he had been young, it had always been the reassuring beats of his parents' hearts that had soothed him when he had been afraid. His eyes shut too late to stop the last time he had seen his parents as it flashes through his consciousness. That one moment in time that would haunt him unceasingly. The pain of it would never lessen no matter how much passed. The dying beats of their once reassuring hearts had pumped their blood to form a pool that had immersed him. The hearts that had been the cause of all that red, that caused the harsh shove into the cruelty reality. A shove that he still stumbled from occasionally. To understand and realize that never, would their beating hearts ever comfort him again. They would never be replaced. They could _never _be replaced. All he could find comfort in, was that he could offer such a thing to his own children in their times of distress.

"Come, I can recall Umbra is in need of a bit of exercise," he whispers conspiratorially and feels excitement replace tension in the small body in his arms.

Within the darkness, he can still see the bright blues of his son's irises as he looks up at him.

"But Mother…"

"Will seek severe retribution if your father lets you fall," comes the smooth feminine voice of his wife from her side of the bed.

He turns to smirk at her while Lunae gasps in horror.

"Which I shall not," he promises her with a smile before turning to look down at his boy. "Lunae knows not to misbehave while riding Umbra, do you not Young Prince?"

"I do, Mother," vows Lunae faithfully, peeking his head around Noctis' arm to look at his mother.

"Very well," answers Stella with a long suffering sigh, but there is amusement there along with a hint worry. The maternal feelings that made him love her more.

As he strokes the soft black hair of his son's head, he feels a bitter self loathing at passing his precious heir the curse of nightmares. It was genetic. He was convinced of that. No matter how many times Stella tried to reason with him. That such a thing was normal, but he would never believe that. Monsters under the bed or hidden within the closet were not the things that Lunae was forced to encounter when he succumbed to the veils of slumber. He knows because he never dreamt of such things either. What nightmares that had terrified him all his life had never been figments of an overactive imagination. His dreams had been real. It would have been a relief if he had made those terrifying thoughts up. That would have abated his fears. He knows they were not. His life had never been normal so it was only logical that his children would inherit things that were not normal. They were more than extraordinary.

"And no, neither one of you is allowed to go out in only your PJs," Stella warns as he and Lunae are making their way out of the bedroom.

He shares a look with this smaller version of himself and they both share identical smirks. Together they turn to look at her as the tiny princess begins to make noises of protest from the bed. Thankfully, the little star still did not wake. She would depend his complete attention if she did. Lunae's hand squeezes his in worry for a moment until he relaxes once he realizes his sister is still asleep.

"Of course, Bright Star," he says and from the look on her face it is obvious that she does not believe he would have thought to change otherwise.

He chuckles before tugging on the small hand within his and leading them towards the dressing room. Taking as little time as possible, he grabs his leather jacket and the smaller version made especially for his own smaller version before stepping into the hallway.

"Do you think any of my uncles are awake too?" asks Lunae.

"I wager only Uncle Sailin' is still awake," he replies, still referring to Sapien with the nickname Lunae had given him when he could not pronounce the name correctly.

Lunae nods in agreement but does not suggest they invite him as they quietly make their way towards the garage.

"Will you tell me about your dream, Moonlight?" he asks, pausing just as they reach Umbra.

The small hand within his squeezes his tightly for a moment as the tension resurfaces, causing him kneel to eye level with the child. Giving him a reassuring squeeze back, he uses his other hand to ruffle the stubborn hair.

"I cannot help you fight something I do not know," he reasons gently.

Lunae lets out a defeated sigh that relieves him. His brave successor had never wanted to tell him the visions of his nightmares but it looks as if he may get a glimpse of them this time.

"It's weird," comes the frustrated reply.

"They often are," he says, encouraging him to continue. "No matter how weird or stupid, I would like to hear it."

"I am alone," he says in a small voice as his eyes become distant. "And I cannot find anyone."

There is a hesitation in his son's voice that gives him pause. There is a detail that his son was reluctant to share and he does not like the theories that flitter through his mind. It startles him when Lunae hurtles his little body into his arms and clings to him. His small fisted hands bite into his ribs but he makes no attempt at removing them. He tightens his jaw at the pain but only ruffles the black hair tickling his chin instead.

"The Light says bad things, Father," Lunae mumbles against his chest.

Bad things? The Light had not said anything to him.

"What is it telling you?" he asks with a sense of foreboding.

"We are all going to die," is the chilling answer.

That remarks causes him to narrow his eyes darkly. He manages to place a more neutral expression on his face before he pulls away enough to look into his son's eyes.

"You have never been alone before. I do not see an end to that," he says factually. He had made sure of it and when he did not, someone else did. There were too many people that loved this little one and the twinkling star to leave room for loneliness. "One day we _will_ die, but that is a long way yet. Remember what I taught you about the future?"

"That one day I will be King," the boy answers automatically, but he does not look the least bit happy about it.

"Yes, you will," he reaffirms. "And you will be a good King."

"Like you?" Lunae asks hopefully.

He automatically smiles at the admiration in his son's gaze. No one loved so unfailingly as a child and he savors every moment of it. No matter what he was, his children loved him.

"Better," he answers with a warm smile and another ruffle of black hair. "Now, let us not keep Umbra waiting any longer."

Retrieving the mini version of his helmet, along with his own, he makes sure that all safety precautions are in order before he starts revying the engine. After one last check of the harness keeping Lunae strapped to his front, they are shooting off into the silent night of the sleeping city.

His brave little fighter had fallen asleep around the second turn. The soothing vibrations of the bike and the whirling lights seemed to have to same relaxing effect as it did him. His father's son afterall. He had deliberately taken Lunae's favorite route around the city by way of the highway. In a few years, he can look forward to taking rides like this side by side and smiles at the image his mind conjures up. He carefully removes the harness and carries the rapidly growing body back towards the residence wing. Why did it feel as if he were heavier than yesterday? Children grew up so fast!

His eyes remain fixed on the sleeping form in his arms and feels the immense protectiveness rise within. This was _his_ child. This was _his_ second greatest love. This was _his_ progeny. There was nothing in the world that he would not do to protect him. His children were everything. Yet there was nothing he could do to protect this little one while in the grips of sleep. It was bad enough that he still held a grudge when Stella lost herself in pleasant dreams. This was much more predatory. In dreams he could not follow. He has always hated feeling helpless. He feels an even deeper loathing for it now that he feels a more intense bout of its curse.

"Is he all right?" a soft voice whispers behind him as he tucks Lunae back into his own bed.

"For now," he says with a sigh, adjusting the covers carefully as the little man's chest rose and fell with ease.

No nightmares now. Until the next time then.

He watches him silently as familiar arms wrap around him from behind. Grasping a soft hand, he lifts it to his lips to kiss the palm before laying it against his chest.

"I will not let you blame yourself for this," she says.

The sigh that he releases does not relieve the tension this time.

"It is my tainted genes that run through his veins," he whispers.

"As in Lumina's," she adds.

"But she is more like her mother," he explains. "There is too much light within her to be foreshadowed by the filth she inherited from me."

"Lunae is my son too," she reminds him.

He lifts her arms away from his waist and turns to look at her. Her that was his wife. Bathed in the combination of the dim shine of moonlight and shadow, she looks as ethereal as a goddess. Brilliant blond hair and a white chemise that seemed to glow in the illuminating beams. There is a stern stubbornness in her expression that makes him want to kiss her but knows that now was not the appropriate time.

"Which is his only saving grace," he says, raising a hand to run his thumb across her bottom lip.

She lets out a huff of exasperation at him before clutching his chin and making him focus on her eyes instead of her lips.

"If he is anything like his father, which he is, then there nothing to fear," she says, looking at him carefully to make sure that he allows that her words to absorb. Which does not and she knows it. So she sucks in a patient breathe and uses both of her hands to bring his face closer to hers. "He will be brave and he will be strong and he will be good. If you cannot believe that then you condemn him to become wicked."

_That_ thought startles him and he leans back to look at her sharply.

She nods to confirm his unspoken question.

He grabs her and crushes her against his chest, taking in the enthralling fragrance of her hair.

"You and the children are everything to me," he says. "There is nothing if there is no you nor them."

She leans back to look up at him.

"Children may or may not grow to become what we want them to be. They will be who they are meant to be," she says. "No matter what that is, we must show them that we will love them. No matter what."

He nods in agreement as he lets out a long breathe before leaning to kiss her forehead.

"I would be so lost without you, Bright Star," he says softly.

She smiles up at him brightly and they have a silent moment, contenting themselves with merely looking upon the other. As one, they turn to stare down at their first born as he sleeps peacefully before them. He feels a tug on his hand and lets her lead him towards their bedroom.

"I put Lumina back to her bed," Stella explains when he sees their messy bed empty of a halo of blond curls.

"Does that mean we get to sleep alone tonight?" he asks, trying not to sound as eager as he feels at the prospect.

She turns around and gives him a sly knowing grin, which he responds to with a smirk.

"I need to be shown that you love me too," she says, reaching for the zip of his jacket. "And that conflicts with sleeping. So no, we will get any sleep, but we will be alone."

He smiles with dark promise before scooping her into his arms.

"Nothing would please me more than to show you," he says, carrying her the short distance to their bed.

* * *

I'd also like to comment on the response from the last prompt. When I was finished with the draft, I initially hesitated. The entire tone of The Undead verse was dark and foreboding. There was no room for humor within it but _**Fastidium **_ends it with light, flirty banter between Noctis and Stella. Wouldn't you know it, that was what everyone loved about it. The reason it was kept in was because Noctis and Stella never had a chance to speak that way with the other. I thought I'd give them that. Loving each other despite the lack of courtship and flirtation is very touching in itself because I don't believe you necessarily have to have both to fall in love. So I am happy that everyone enjoyed it so much.


	48. Celeritas

**Prompt:** #21 Speed

**Summary:** Flashes of time are as quick as lightning.

**A/N: **This is not only by request but also, I thought I'd use another prompt to expand this verse.

Celeritas is Latin for "swiftness, speed".

_**Celeritas**_

The mind was such a marvel. There is nothing quite like it. It adapted to things with an ease that was nothing short of amazing. Certain things were automatic. Many things were learned. Once learned, many times it will remember even though your conscious self does not.. For though, you may consciously or unconsciously forget, once reminded, the brain recalls it as if it were as fresh as the day you mastered whatever it was. It could become acclimated to pain. So much so that your conscious self only registers it as a dull ache once it has had time to accept it. It adjusted to loss, no matter what that loss actually was. It does this so seamlessly and methodically, that one does not even realize it has happened until the pain is refreshed or when what was lost was regained. To think that they each had one, was something almost impossible to imagine. It worked so quickly and so efficiently that there would never be a computer that could ever compare.

Thinking of it this way, it makes her feel better once the dawn drew near and the slow orange hued rays began to warm the insides of the cave. She may not have noticed it when her powers had become nothing but a flash of fancy light, but she certainly noticed it when they had returned.

Those morning rays had barely begun to sink into her awareness when suddenly, her entire body is consumed with a flare of heat. It started slowly at her toes then rushed up to her face like a battery freshly recharged to the max. She sucks in a hasty breathe as her rune flashes a brilliant gold and her finger tips feel the tiny pricks of energy as the sounds of shattering crystals echo in the cave. It only takes a millisecond to register that the strange emptiness that she had felt before was the loss of her powers. The thought barely reaches the forefront of her mind before she notices that she is not the only one who has become renewed. The brilliance of blue nearly overpowers her gold, as ripples of intense energy rafted from Noctis' form across from her. The crystals surrounding him stand rigid and poised in a solid shield around him as he slowly rises to his feet.

He, obviously, has experienced such a thing before. Not only was there no surprise, there was no indication that he felt as jolted as she had a moment before. It simply looks as if he has been waiting all this time for the return that he was sure was coming, while she had only wondered at the hollowness within her chest. She watches as he raises both of his black leather clad gloves in front of him and she can see the high voltage electricity that sparks out of the tips. The cast highlights each bolt like streaks of white. It feels fuzzy and she feels almost tingly to be as close as she is to him. He clenches both hands into fists as his jaw tightens and everything abruptly vanishes while the hollowness echoes the crashing of the Crystals upon the stony ground. The cave is once again lit only by the dying embers of their fire, the crystals catching the dying flashes of dark yellow and gold. There is a twinkling light that surrounds them for a moment before it too dies.

"I suppose that means the storm is over now?" she asks hesitantly, looking up at him.

There is a moment of silence as his shadowed form remains unmoving above her. She hears him take a long breathe through his nose and the silhouette of his head turns upward. When he releases the breathe, he levels his face to the entrance of the cave. Whatever light the fire provided extinguishes with a snap. It is cut short so swiftly and so thoroughly that the logs are not even orange. There is only that last swirl of smoke to prove that there had been a fire there in the first place. She turns her startled face towards his, but he is still facing the entrance. The look on his face is absolutely predatory as he stands there at the ready. He is poised for battle and she wonders, not for the first time, what was waiting for them outside. Instead of a shiver of fear, she feels almost an invigorating sense of thrill.

"Are you going to merely be an observer or are you going to participate?" he asks, still not turning to look down at her.

Her mind races with that jilting speed she was admiring before, searching for a meaning to his words. They could mean a great many things. None of which are pleasant. She reacts by taking in a quick breathe through her nose as he had and opens her mind to search for what was outside. Her eyes fly open in surprise as she catches the presence.

"Why did you not tell me?" she accuses, rising quickly to her feet to stand beside him. She faces the entryway as he is.

"What would you have done?" he asks, taking the time to give her a dense look before turning towards the entrance again.

"You went out there knowing they were there?" she asks, with a voice that nearly squeaks from her unusually high pitch of indignation.

"We needed to eat," he says casually with almost a shrug.

"They could have killed you," she hissed. Her anger surprises her but more surprising is the reason behind her anger.

He turns to glare at her this time. His eyes are red now, absolutely itching for a fight, as they narrow on her.

"Clearly, I gave you more credit than you were due, _Princess_," he hisses back.

She nearly steps back from the venom in his voice. Spoiling for a fight with him was not exactly the smartest thing to do in their predicament but really, just because it had never been proven that those who had come back from the death realm were easy to kill did not mean that it was true. She was never too eager to try that theory out. Trust him to be silly enough.

"That is not an excuse to be reckless," she manages to glare back at him.

"Are we going to fight each other or the danger outside?" he sneers at her.

"That depends," she says flippantly. She gives him a level haughty look before continuing. "Are you going to make it worth my while to fight with you?"

He raises a condescending eyebrow at her and this anger is something she can tolerate.

"What did you have in mind?" he asks in that infuriating way that upsets her every time.

"Stop being an arse," she snaps. "How do I know that they mean _you_ any harm? They left you unscathed earlier."

"Because they were just as powerless as we were during the storm," he says with a tightened tone of impatience.

A crackle of falling rocks just outside the entrance draws both of their attention at the same time. That effectively ends the argument because not a moment later, they were bombarded with a large barrage of enemy, bent on killing them. The cave fills with a mixture of gold and blue as they run head first to meet the attack head on. She was more of a fencer herself, but from the corner of her eye, she can see that Noctis was more than just knowledgeable with swordplay. He was deadly with just about anything. She had never seen him in action before and she can admit, even if it was only to herself, that he was magnificent in battle. His speed, agility and precision was unmatched and she wondered why he even bothered to ask for her help. It was clear that he did not particularly need any assistance.

The last body falls to the floor before Noctis turns to her as they both catch their breathes.

"Come, we must get out of here before more arrive," he orders before running out of the cavern without even making sure she listens.

She does not even stop to feel indignant or insulted but follows right behind him.

The sky is shiny and bright and so clear. The air is clean with the light crisp scent of moisture soaked nature, from the retreating storm clouds. The entire forest around them is covered in droplets of water. Branches hung heavily with the burden of the added weight. This was beautiful, rich and rugged country here and she can appreciate its beauty as she had not been able to the day before. Who knew that amidst the harsh desert terrain between Tenebrae and Nihilsomno, such a place existed within his realm.

"Stunning," she murmurs in admiration.

"Why thank you," he comments and when she looks at him it is clear he takes her comment as a remark on his person instead of the landscape.

Her automatic reaction is to roll her eyes.

"Just when I think I could admire you…," she says, deliberately leaving the end hanging.

"I am not hard to admire," he comments smugly before jumping off the precipice they are standing upon, sure that she will follow.

She takes a moment to sigh as she watches his rapid descent to the flat grounds below. Just like everything else, nothing with him was ever slow. From the speed of his movements during battle to the quickness of his wit, one could never say that he was a slacker. His ability stretched too. Not only could he make her feel almost glad for his company and not a second later, regret she ever thought him pleasant. Of all the minds (brains) that she has ever encountered in her life, she does not think she has ever met any that moved as swiftly as his. Shaking her head, she easily leaps and jumps down after him.

* * *

End Note: Good gracious, this has been a long time in coming. My sincere apologies for not getting this draft out before. Blasted massive monster of a project delayed this almost two weeks (as that was when my project was assigned to me). I haven't started the last two prompts yet. This next one is a bit of a doozy considering, I have no idea what I want to write about. Hopefully I'll have something soon.


	49. Bivium

**Prompt:** #50 Writer's Choice

**Summary:** An alternate universe lends an addition to their world.

**A/N:** Since this prompt is writer's choice, I am taking it to mean that I can write about whatever I want as long as it includes Noctis and Stella. So, taking full advantage of that, I am blending fandoms and creating a completely self indulgent AU. The three friends will be given the same names as they have in the Adventum verse, only it does not follow that story.

Bivium is Latin for "the place where two ways meet".

_**Bivium**_

_"Furthering the last negotiations of peace, the nations are glad to see the final end to the needless fighting. The revival of the Crystals has promoted harmony between the leading powers and a truce is close at hand. Prince Noctis' upcoming coronation is greatly anticipated by the great citizens of Nihilsomno, as it concludes the week long conference… In other news, the strange appearances…"_

It seems odd to hear such tidings. There was a reason to mislead the public into thinking they had a certain level of security. As optimistic as she was, there was just a tad more pessimism within her now as she begins to drown out the remaining news highlights. She mutes the screen and watches the silenced storytelling of the newscaster as she sits and muses. Like many other dignitaries, she was here within the grand city of Nihilsomno, overseeing the peace talks. After everything that they had accomplished and after everything Noctis had sacrificed, there was still something evil looming in the air. Something hiding among the shadowy streets. It did not feel as if peace had been accomplished at all from their struggling journey from months before. She had thought that they had finally vanquished evil when they had fulfilled their destinies. Only, perhaps that had been premature. It feels, as if their destinies were merely beginning instead of concluding. There was something else coming their way and she knew that whatever it was, there was nothing that would prepare her for it.

Slowly, she brings the wineglass to her lips and takes a slow sip. Swirling the sharp, tart liquid around in her mouth, she savors the rich flavor and inhales the aroma through her nose. The fragrant perfume of fermented red grapes wafts into her senses causing her to close her eyes in enjoyment. Her glass was half full and she had already ascertained that the vintage was good. Still, she could not refrain from enjoying it slowly, as her mind crept toward dullness under the effects of the potent alcohol. A slow heat moves through her body, causing her head to cloud as the strong brew takes effect.

Despite everything, despite all that they had been through together, she has never felt such a sense of frustration before. They had won. But there was no sense of true accomplishment at their deeds. Never one to hide her feelings, she had made them quite clear to Noctis. There was no way he could have misread her. She had purposely been as subtle as a freight train. He had a very endearing but often times migraine inducing sense of honor. To his complicated mind, she was something that he could not allow himself to have. As outrageously upsetting as that was, she sort of understood his reasoning. Sort of. She was disinclined to fully accept it though. Her presence in his life tipped him off his axis and left him unbalanced. A balance that he currently needed firmly in place if he was to face the planet's ruling class to assert his rightful claim to the world's greatest empire. His monarchy was not even firmly established, yet there was already invisible opposition making demands and displaying rebellion. The remaining resentment in the wake of the Reawakening, as they had dubbed it, had only increased when it was pronounced that Nihilsomno would still be the leading nation in power.

There is a part of her that understands this too. She would be a liar if she denied ever feeling the same resentment towards Nihil when she had been growing up. They, as a nation and as a people, had been selfish. For many years, they had closed their gates and refused anyone entry into their realm. So careful to hoard the last remaining powers of their Crystal, they had kept its benefits from the rest of the world. It had shrouded itself in mystery and secret. As she had grown older, she had accepted this and had focused on the positive rather than the negative. Without a Crystal of her own, she and her family had helped put together a working government along with a prosperous nation. To her, there was no use wasting energy and time resenting something that one did not have and taking full advantage of the things that you did. So when the thirteenth peace conference had been hosted within Nihilsomno's walls, she had not been part of the glaring dignitaries that had visited. Instead, she had focused on the opportunity such a visit had provided. It was also when she had first glimpsed the dark prince himself.

As soon as she had seen him cautiously approaching her on that deck, she had known. What exactly she had known was debatable. What she _had_ known was that her life was never going to be the same again. The introduction of this man into her life was going to alter her course and take her on a journey that she had never imagined. It had explained the anticipation that had been within her all that night. Not the nervous, wary anticipation that the conference had surfaced within her, but a more personal and penetrating kind. She had been smitten right away and her playful nature had come out unheeded in the face of his stiff stoicism. Over these many months, it had turned into almost a game. The more morose he became, the more chipper her response. The effect it had on him always made her feel warm and contented.

Sighing deeply, she absently rubs against the scar on her chest. Her hand always seemed to rub against the subtly elevated, white tissue that had not healed smoothly. It was like a phantom pain that her hand reached for in times when she was feeling contemplative. As her finger gently rubs against it, she feels a strange sense of… _something_. Despite the calming effects of her wine, she feels a dawning sense of… _something_. She can only call it "something" because she cannot find the word or phrase to call it. It is neither daunting nor pleasant. It is neither terrifying nor happy. Her thoughts automatically go to Noctis but it is not him that is making her feel this way. He always provoked a far different kind of response within her.

Absently, her eyes roam to the muted television in front of her again.

"Strange appearances," she whispers slowly to herself, repeating the last words she had heard from the television.

Images from various, less populated parts of the city were displayed in split screens, as the newscaster recited the carefully worded telecast. Places where certain mysterious incidences had been occurring with rapid regularity lately. Actually, she realizes with rising caution, ever since Nihilsomno had opened its doors to the outside world. Quickly bringing back the sound, she catches the tail end of the story.

"…stated witnesses," the newscaster finishes. "As these areas are not closely monitored, there is no available video footage to fully explain what caused these varying degrees of vandalism." There is a pause as the camera angle changes and the anchorman turns his body to the other side, signaling the start of the next story. "In other news, recent construction on the city's new highway…"

She lets the sounds of the man's voice drone to the back of her mind as she turns to stare out into the city nightscape. Random acts of vandalism were not exactly unheard of within a large city as this. Considering that this particular city had a very dark presence about it, it was hardly difficult to see why. Happy things seldom hid within the shadows of the night. This city was like a perpetual night, even within the light of day. Despite their achievements as a society, they were not what she would call "happy" sort of people. They seemed more haunted. It was almost a direct contrast to her own home, the capital city of Tenebrae. She recalls those images from the news story within her mind again and her eyes narrow in thought. No, these were not random acts of vandalism at all. Something happened. That something. The missing chunks of concrete along the exteriors of the buildings were just not possible for someone of average strength. Her frown deepens as she remembers how high those gaps had been. Not only would the person be exceptionally strong, they would also have to be exceptionally tall. Well over seven feet tall at least. Someone with that height and strength would not go unnoticed anywhere.

Rising from the plush couch upon which she was perched, she makes her way to her laptop and lifts the cover. Phil had given her private access into the royal mainframe so she could browse without detection. It had warmed her through and through to see evidence that Noctis and his friends trusted her so completely. She would never abuse such a large gesture of trust and they obviously knew it. Quickly, she opens her web browser and searches the latest headlines. The story on the mysterious vandals was midway down the page. She resists shaking her head at that. Since these incidences had occurred in the less than posh areas, they were not granted the same amount of importance as they would if they had been in the richer neighborhoods. She clicked to enlarge the photos of each scene and spread them across her screen to see them all at the same time.

Carefully scrutinizing the high resolution pictures, she startles at the things that call out to her as she studies them. Tilting her head to get a better angled view, her eyes narrow again. Whatever did this, was not a man. That it was seven foot was still evident in the amount of damage to the side of one particular building. That one had looked to be overlaid with a thick layer of concrete. Another building had marble panels that surrounded the concrete base and another was aligned with stone. Something very heavy and very long had smashed right into them. There was no way anyone would miss the amount of power it would take to force anything that strongly to do that much damage to the buildings. Most puzzling of all was the shape of each impression. So, it was something big, exceedingly heavy and… shaped in the form of a man. She is not sure what made her more uneasy. The fact that it happened to look like a human body or that there was something capable of slamming such a thing against the side of a high rise building. That meant there were two things out there that did more than just go bump into the night.

What did Noctis know about this? It was impossible for him not to know something about this.

As almost an afterthought, she sharpened the zoom onto the ground and scoffed at herself as she caught the faint hint of crystal remnants. Of course Noctis already knew. It had obviously been him that had made whatever this thing was, crash so jarringly against stone.

Glancing over at the digital clock on her nightstand, she reads the time. Just past midnight in a city like Nihilsomno was early. Especially when it thrived in the nightlife and remained subdued during the day while most of its residents slept. She wonders if Noctis were within the castle grounds. Most likely not. Her senses refused to let her drop this for the night and she knows what she has to do. Snatching up her mobile lying beside her laptop, she quickly speed dials Phil. He never took very long to answer.

"What's up, Stella?" he asks and the incessant typing of keys in the background tell her he is busy.

She grins knowingly.

"You tell me, Phil," she says lightly, the smile noticeable in her voice. "I was just watching the news."

"Anything interesting?" he asks nonchalantly. She could almost believe he was really oblivious. Almost but not quite.

"Not much," she answers, letting out a sigh as she leans back in her chair. Might as well get to the point. "What is Noctis fighting out there?"

"He didn't want you to know," answers Phil smoothly before chuckling. "Caught some detail the media didn't, did you?"

No denial. She had not been expecting one. It still irritates her a little that they had consciously kept this from her. Actually, it irritates her a lot that Noctis had kept this from her. The others were just following his orders.

"He seldom does," she states regretfully. "Do you know what it is?"

"Never seen anything like it before," is the response and she worries her bottom lip between her teeth. Had it been something familiar she doubts they would have tried to pass it off as vandals.

"What do they want?"

"Only the one as far as we can tell right now," he says. "_It_ hasn't made any demands either."

"I doubt it was merely trying to show off," she comments.

"Singing to the choir," he agrees and the clicking becomes more rapid in the background.

"Where is he now?" she asks.

"Top secret, sorry," he replies. The tapping of the keys stops but she soon hears the rapid clicking of his mouse. "Cal and Durus are both with him."

Leaving Phil to be the eyes and ears around the city while they were out patrolling for whatever this thing was.

"Where exactly was the latest incident?"

"Noct's not gonna like you going out there alone," he says with that knowing voice.

"And you know that is not going to stop me," she retorts and he chuckles again.

"Will he be more pissed off if I'm with you or if you're going it solo?" he wonders aloud.

"I never called you," she answers for him. The last thing she needed was to get him in trouble with Noctis.

"He'll never believe that," he says but he does not sound at all worried about Noctis' wrath. "You're going to be careful, aren't you?"

"Like Noctis," she grumbles. Noctis who was far too reckless sometimes.

"I'll give you the address," he says. The amusement evident in his voice.

It does not take her long to dress and pull her hair into a long ponytail. She feels a bit of apprehension as she grabs her white leather riding gloves and helmet. Her hesitation is brief though, before her determination sets in. She did not survive the last few months hiding away in her rooms. If Noctis did not accept that, he was going to have to start. She briskly makes her way down the long hallway and down a corridor at the top of a hidden staircase that led directly to the garage below. If Noctis was already out there, chasing this thing, he was obviously not keeping watch on the apartments that he had given to her.

The overhead lights of the garage flicker on as she makes her way into the hollow space and she walks over to her custom bike while pulling on her gloves. Taking a moment to appreciate the gleaning beauty of the white finish, she throws her leg over the body and turns the ignition. She takes a moment to make sure her helmet is adjusted right and a light tap against the head tests the Bluetooth system connected to her phone. As the engine roars to life, streaks of gold race across the body of the bike as the gauges rev. She feels the leak of energy from her inner as the system roars to life.

"Welcome, Princess Stella," greets the computerized voice of Luna.

"We might encounter some danger, Luna" she says as she kicks the stand up.

"Danger level set," replies the computer.

"Will you alert me if Lord Noctis is nearby?" she asks.

"Of course, your highness."

"Stealth mode please," she orders before taking off out of the garage and onto the city streets.

The buzzing vibrations of the engine beneath her along with the air swooshing past add to the ambiance of the night as everything around her becomes streaks of light. She carefully steers clear of the more heavily populated areas and keeps to the side streets where camera coverage is not as intense. Easily weaving past the cars that are going too slow, she guns the engine and rushes forth into the darker parts of the city. The streetlights wiz past her like a kaleidoscope of colors as she finds herself getting closer and closer to the rougher neighborhoods of Nihilsomno. It is not long before the cars begin to thin out and the streets become empty as she makes her way. Luna slows to a smooth stop in front of the address Phil had given to her and she looks up.

Bracing her left leg against the pavement, she stares at the indentations where the thing had impacted with the concrete. It must have been the end of the fight, just before it disappeared. Pushing down the stand, she makes sure that Luna is balanced before she swings her leg around to stand on the street. Automatically, Luna adjusts the lighting on her high beams so she can better see the debris still undisturbed from the fight. Obviously not a lot of heavy foot traffic passed this way either. Lifting her head, she can see the subtle silhouette of where the thing had crashed into the concrete. The sharp, steep indentation suggested a shoulder. It had fallen back against it. Thrown? There had not been a car parked to slow its crash and the lack of skid marks puzzles her. Whatever had hit it, had been extremely heavy as well and had impacted with it as it had been standing just off the sidewalk. Yet, there was no indentation on the sidewalk or along the wall to tell her what it had been. Maybe not something heavy at all. She kneels down to stare at the small spattering of Crystal and looks out into the direction that Noctis must have looked. A dark alleyway loomed before her with many possible exits. A smart choice to escape a threat. If Noctis had been fighting this thing, he had probably stabbed it with one of his many swords. She could not recall him having one big enough to take something that big down like this. If he had….

Blue eyes roaming along the cracks in the pavement, she sees a tiny spattering of something. Sliding a little forward, she crouches down further to get a better look. She knew, without having to touch it, that those had been drops of blood. A flash of worry hits her as she wonders if it is Noctis' but pushes that away as absurd. She would have noticed any tension in the way he moved if he had been injured. Having had to live with him under rugged, often times, unsanitary conditions where they had, had to dress each other's wounds gave her enough experience to be able to read any pain that his body withstood. Curious that there was not more though. If the impact had obviously been wounding enough to down the thing, it would have produced a lot more blood. More importantly, how was it possible that it could bleed at all. Flesh would never be able to withstand the blow nor the impact with the wall. Bones most definitely would have been broken, a shoulder dislocated at least. Nothing was adding up correctly. She needed to talk to Noctis.

Reaching into her pocket, she produces a clean handkerchief and pen. Carefully, so as not to scratch the pavement, she scrapes the dried blood with the butt of the pen before wrapping it carefully in the handkerchief and tucking it back into her pocket. She is just about to stand up when she sees something that does not seem quite right. Letting out a huff of breathe as she tries to determine why it catches her eye, she leans in closer. The beam of light grows larger as Luna accommodates her by coming closer at her back without prompting. Glancing from side to side to make sure, she frowns at the small pile of ash in front of her. No where nearby was there any trace of a fire. Which definitely made this small pile look out of place near the dark alley. True, it was not the cleanest of streets to begin with, but to have such a neat pile of something as wispy as ash was suspect. Nihilsomno was usually a windy city on a mild day. Patting herself down in search of something to gather it, she remembers the small receipt she had tucked within her pockets the last time she had worn this jacket. She sends a silent prayer of hope before using the thin paper to gather as much of the ash as possible before folding the edges together to contain it. Pocketing that too, she makes sure to place it in the other side so as not to contaminate her two samples. Well, not anymore than they already had, that is.

She stands then and waits for the circulation to flow steadily through her legs again, before she walks back over to Luna. Mounting her bike again, she accelerates slowly down the rest of the street before coming to a stop at a light. The engine rumbles softly in the empty intersection and she looks both ways, deciding whether she should just gun it out of there, when her eyes catch a glimpse of something a short distance away. Leaning forward, slightly, she peers through a bush to see something in the dim light of the small park half a block away. Not something, _someone_. Her senses swarm through her but she does not receive any hints of danger. The figure is not even turned in her direction, seemingly unaware of her presence. It incites a strange sense of familiarity. Without waiting to change to her mind, she makes the turn and rides over to where the figure sits alone on a ruined bench. It is the only spot within the small park that sits directly beneath a steady light.

As she closes the distance, she parks Luna and climbs off to walk the rest of the way. The figure's head is bent down, studying something in its hands intently a steady scraping sound reaches through her helmet. The person does not look up as she comes closer. She realizes belatedly that it is a man. A man dressed completely in black. Black pants, a long black trench coat with buckles and a high collar that hid the bottom lip of his mouth. A young man at that and were it not for a few differences, she would have thought it _was_ Noctis and not a stranger. That visual shocks her and she does hesitate slightly as she comes to a stop not two feet away from him. If he had any ill intent she would not be fast enough to stop him, but she still feels the strange sensation of calm familiarity instead of the wariness of approaching a stranger on a dark night as tonight.

She is close enough now to see that he is carving an image into a small piece of wood. The steady, fluid swipes of his hand blade conveying that he was no novice to this art. Somehow it increases the mystique of this stranger before her. There is no readable expression on his face that she can see through the thick strands of his jet black hair and the high collar of his coat. His hair is not overly long, but just enough to fall over his eyes.

"What are you making?" she finds herself asking. Her voice sounds harsh against the small flicking sounds of his knife and the silence around them.

"An image of a child praying," he answers smoothly. There is no alarm or surprise in his voice. His eyes remaining on his task without pause.

The answer makes her frown. Of all the things to be doing in the middle of the night in such an open and exposed place. He was asking for trouble. She would normally assume he was some sort of unsavory character, but being this close to him she could not see him as anything unsavory at all. Just as she would never consider Noctis in such a way. Her eyes catch the sight of the bike leaning against the bench on the other side of him and inhales sharply in surprise.

"I have never seen a model like that before," she says in admiration.

The machine was absolutely beautiful in its design. A steady, wide body with a larger engine than was considered standard. The sleek bends in the shell said it was built for speed though the width hinted that it was made for a body larger than the man sitting in front of her.

"It's custom," he replies vaguely, with that same monotone as before.

"It really is not safe for you to be sitting here like this," she states, looking around them but sees nothing within the still darkness.

"Yours is pretty impressive too," he comments, ignoring her remark.

When she blinks at him, he nods his head in the direction of Luna.

"With a fully uploaded interface," he adds in, taking a moment to stare at Luna. It is a slow assessing stare of someone who knew the inner workings of the machine, before returning to his carving.

"In a city like this, it is easier to get around in," she says, feeling suddenly unsure and awkward.

The sudden beep within her helmet she almost squeaks in surprise before Noctis' smooth voice flows out of the speakers near her ears.

"Stella, where are you?" he asks, his tone somewhat strained but polite.

Torn between something snide and something flirty, she settles on something in between.

"Taking in the city," she says with a lilt in her voice that hints at playfulness but not enough to hide that she is upset with him.

Silence greets her a moment and she can almost see Noctis process her response. He caught her underlying tone and she knew it.

"Alone?" he asks unexpectedly. It is with a hint of jealousy, a pinch of annoyance and a little bit of hurt mixed in together.

One word and she feels guilty for doing something that she had no right to be guilty about.

"Luna is with me," she says with a smile, not exactly lying but not completely truthful. "Where are you?" She manages to ask before he can ask something else first.

"Are you in danger?" he asks and his tone turns a shade darker.

"No, I am fine," she reassures with a low sigh.

He lets out a loud sigh of his own.

"I was worried," he confesses and it sounds like she has dragged it out of him involuntarily.

Despite her initial annoyance, she feels herself soften at his admission.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" she asks just as softly, wording it carefully but there is no sting in her tone.

"It was why I was coming to see you now," he says petulantly.

If he had been anyone else, she knows he would be pouting. Only, he was _not_ anyone else and his expression was probably blank. As blank as the expression on the stranger's face in front of her. The one who gives no indication that he is paying any attention to her conversation with Noctis. That inward, contained emotion always made her feel a simmering in her veins. It tingled sometimes when Noctis was feeling an emotion especially strong. She felt that same simmering in her veins now as she looked at the stranger. To find another that held the qualities that she so loved in Noctis. What were the chances of that?

"Give me ten minutes and I shall be there," she says, hanging up before he can say anything else. She takes a moment to collect her racing emotions, something that she has to do frequently of late, whenever she spoke with Noctis. Then her gaze settles on the man still sitting on the bench again. Only now, he is no longer working so intently on his carving, but regarding her with a steady gaze.

The urge to step back is strong under his studying eyes, but she manages to keep her feet planted as she regards him right back. There is no lust nor any hinted attraction in his gaze as he stares at her. His eyes do not leave her face as he studies her with a look far more focused than the one he had used when working on his carving. With his face turned up and pointed towards her own, she can finally see the dark scar running down the side of his face. A mark almost resembling a bolt of lighting. It streaked down his pale cheek just below his right eye and his eyes, she paused as she took in the color of his eyes. They were a flickering transition of blue to red and back. That too, was so much like Noctis. She does take a small step back then.

"Someone like you should not be in a place like this," he comments dryly. It is not threatening, just a matter of stating fact.

The comment throws her concentration further and she frowns before collecting herself.

"Neither should you," she replies with an easy smile in response.

His eyes contain a small shine with in a hint of amusement but he does not smile. He does not even smirk as Noctis would have. As she continues to stare at him, she realizes that the lack of lines along his face showed a man who did not laugh very often or at all. Another similarity to Noctis. Yet, there were subtle expressions that flash across Noctis' face that conveyed his emotions. This stranger, though, took carefully blank to a whole different level of indiscernible.

"You had better get going," he says, turning back to his carving and releasing her from his capturing gaze.

She feels a loss at the release. As bland as his voice and tone had been, his eyes had given her a sense of connection. Now that they were no longer looking at her, she felt blocked, thwarted. Much like she did when she tried to get through to Noctis.

"Yes," she agrees distantly as she watches the precision of his movements. "Will you stay here all night?"

"You don't need to worry about me," he says, pausing to look up at her again.

"I am more worried about your bike," she jokes with a teasing smile. With the return of his eyes, she feels more steady somehow. Almost as if they were on equal footing when she held his complete focus.

There is that shining glean in his eyes again and now his expression is curious as he turns his head sideways to look at her.

"Your boyfriend is waiting," he reminds her and she jerks in surprise at his comment. Humor leaks out of his voice though his lips do not quirk.

"What makes you say that?" she gapes in surprise.

"Your reaction is answer enough," he says with an invisible shrug and returns to his work.

"Right," she says, even though she does not believe him. She takes a step back towards Luna. "I suppose I shall see you around then." She turns around to mount Luna and her engines vroom.

He does not respond to her parting, but she gets the sense that he was not ignoring her, merely silently agreeing.

Her mind stays on the image of him sitting on that rusty old bench as she rides back to her large flat where Noctis is waiting for her. The aura around him had spoken of tragedy. That deep emotional agony brought out the nurturing part of her that left her compelled to help him. It was just like her reaction to Noctis' usual brooding manner. A need within her to help lighten the dark mood that hovered like a cloud over their crouched forms. The little progress she had made with Noctis seemed more significant now that she had seen someone else so like him to compare with. Not that she could boast to altering Noctis in anyway. She merely felt, upon meeting the dark stranger, that her relationship with Noctis had shifted more than she had realized. It made her feel almost heady as she pulls back into her garage and shuts off Luna.

Pulling the helmet from her head, she pulls the tie holding her hair in place and shakes out the blond strands. The tingling feeling in her spine alerts her to Noctis' presence upstairs. So close. She allows herself a faint smile as she carefully climbs each step to bring herself closer to him. When she opens the door to her flat, she finds him looking out of one of the many tall windows on the other end of her living room. The tension in his shoulders tells her that he was having trouble organizing and processing his emotions. He knows she is there but he needs to suppress whatever it is that is bothering him before he turns. It is only until she closes the door softly behind her does turn to look at her.

The angle and view of his face is overlaid with a sheer silhouette of the dark stranger a moment, making her stop in her steps to reach him. She blinks and the silhouette vanishes and only Noctis remains. The slight bend of his eyebrows silently conveys his curiosity before he frowns.

"Are you hurt?" he asks suddenly.

The concern warms her as it always does and she shakes her head to clear her mind as well as deny the claim. "Not at all."

"Forgive the late night visit," he apologizes.

"That is not the apology I am waiting for," she says, giving him a level look. She lets the accusing glance sink in before making her way to her coat closet to put away her helmet and gloves. Casually unzipping her white leather jacket, she takes it off to hang directly beneath her helmet within easy reach before shutting it.

"I will not apologize for keeping you from danger," he says stubbornly. His voice, as always, level.

"It is not your place to protect me," she states evenly.

He cringes so minutely that she might not have seen it had she not been looking directly at him. She knows it wounds him to point out, but that is only because he refused to be with her in that way.

"This is a new evil that I do not know anything about," he explains. "I am not willing to risk you when I do not know enough about this new enemy."

"Which would have been the same as when we fought before," she replies sharply, sharper than she had intended. "We did not then either."

"That was different."

"How?"

"Stella," he says with a heavy sigh. The sound of her name sounds like a plea and it tugs at her heart. "We had no choice but to fight then."

True, but that did not make him right this time.

"I know you believe we should not be together," she says, getting to the root of the matter. Slowly, she takes small steps to bring her closer to him. "But I also know that you feel for me as deeply as I feel for you. You would not worry about my safety so much if you did not."

She stops before he can try to restrain her, like he always does, to look up into his face. It hurts her heart to see him look so torn but she needs to push him. If left to his own devices, they would live their entire lives loving each other from a distance. His hands are clench at his sides and his eyes display the war within him. She almost expects the words that he is steeling himself to say.

"Do you really think we could feel so deeply for each other if it were so forbidden?" she tries to reason, tilting her face up just enough.

"I would anyway," he answers without reservation and there is a regretful smile on his lips. "Just to be contrary."

"I believe you would," she replies with a smile at his tease. Trust him to try and distract her with something like that. Clever man.

As if he cannot resist her smile, he leans in further and closes the remaining distance between them to touch his lips to hers. It is a light and tentative touch and it is over too quickly. Not their first and not their last, but she cherishes each one that he has given thus far.

"Would that I could give in," he whispers and it seems more to himself than to her. His eyes are fixed upon her lips for an intense moment causing her to nervously lick her lips in response.

"What is it that stops you?" she asks in a breathy whisper. It feels as if his intensity has sucked all the oxygen from the air.

He leans his head to the side and smirks at her.

"With this new foe, I feel that we shall be faced with another deadly challenge," he relays with a regretful sigh, leaning back just enough so their proximity does not distract them both too much. His lack of reversion warms her. That he did not step back and place more distance was an assurance of his regard. Yes, they were making progress. Slowly, very slowly he was giving in to her and the achievement feels like a triumph. "I do not wish for you to feel obligated to me when difficulties arise."

His cryptic words make her uneasy. She know that there is much more that he is keeping from her and no coaxing could force him to give it away.

"To tell you now would be cheating," he responds with a knowing smirk.

"But you know?" she asks in worry.

"I do not know the path you will choose," he responds. That did not mean he did not know his. "But I know there is an evil here and there is more on the horizon."

"But you have seen it," she presses. "What is it?"

He shakes his head and the frustration on his face strengthens the sense of foreboding. Before she can ask something else, he presses a hand against the small of her back to press her chest against his and kisses her forehead heatedly.

"I only know how I feel," he whispers into her hair and she lets the subject drop for the moment. "And I know that I shall always feel it towards you."

Her heart creates those flapping flutters of joy and a shivers of delight runs down her spine. Lifting her hands, she clenches the collar of his leather jacket to breathe in the scent of worn leather and Noctis as he presses her head against the hollow of his neck.

"Know that I care," he whispers in warm vow. "I am not pushing you away because I do not want you."

Questions, questions. His words leave her with only more questions. She can feel it now. The emotion that he had been keeping from her ever since she had returned to Nihilsomno. He was afraid. Afraid of this _something_ that she knows is there but cannot describe. He must feel it too. More than feel it. He has _seen_ it and whatever it was, it was something that must be terrifying.

When he pulls away, she drops her hands to look at up him. She wants to touch his face and reassure him, but she refrains. The torn expression of yearning has left his face and the focused prince was in its stead. When would she see that side of him again?

"Now," he says, his tone reverting back to his usual friendly, yet distant tone. She can feel the walls being erected between them. "What have you found during your little nighttime excursion?"

* * *

End Note: This has the potential to become a full blown fic of its own. I have enough storyline in my head to create one but I am going to wait and see what kind of feedback I receive from readers before I write anything else on this. I hope everyone is tantalized and curious about what is lurking and what is going on. For those of you who read my Profile, you should be able to guess who the stranger is. Anymore notes will be posted on my Profile following the uploading of this prompt... and no, the next and final prompt will not continue this storyline. :)


	50. Visum

**Prompt: **# 8 Vision

**Summary:** Flashbacks, dreams and premonitions.

**A/N:** This expands the Noctum/Eclipse verse.

Visum is Latin for "vision, view, sight."

_**Visum**_

There is a muffled sound somewhere nearby. He is aware of it but all it is too vague and too distant. It takes all his conscious effort to focus on simply inhaling the oxygen that refuses to be taken in. The hollow sounds of his own gasps echo loudly in combination with the rapid beating of his heart. His vision is blurred and every blink of his eyes is an effort to stop the onslaught of tears. His hands are shaking uncontrollably as the feeling of helplessness crashes over him. _Despair_. The sinking sensation that this was the end. This _was _the end. The world was coming to an end. _His_ world is ended. The tremble trembling vibrations come from the depths of his very being.

"Bright Star," he chokes with agonized emotion. "Without your light, there is nothing. Without any of you, there is only pain and suffering."

With a howl of agony, he clutches the broken and bloodied body of his wife. Broken sobs escape bleeding lips as he feels the impact of what he has lost. _All_ that he has lost. The sounds around him become no longer vague. His awareness begins to peak. His senses awaken in the face of the danger that is approaching. He knows that it is approaching and it would him no relief. No reprieve. No time to grieve. No reason to live. Those sounds that ring out like a shrieking symphony are screams. They are the sounds of death and fire. For here, amid the rubble of his once prosperous city, he clutches desperately at someone who is no longer there. The spirit behind the shell that he had loved so deeply was gone. Gone forever like the others. Hers is not the only body lying lifeless on the ground. He is now the only one left behind to feel the emptiness of loss. The city had fallen. The dead far outnumbered the living and the city was on fire.

It would be so easy to give in to the despair, but he owes it to all that had fallen to endure. He had not survived thus far to sink away into the abyss of pain. So he makes himself remember. He makes himself see the faces that would no longer exist. The people that would no longer grace this world. This world was not his world any longer. Those living no longer the ones he wished to be with. It is those gone that he wishes to follow. Those gone before their time. Those robbed of the full lives that they deserved. Slowly and then steadily, he feels a better emotion than sadness and the relief is a pulsing energy in his veins. Rage, unlike he has ever known, blends together with the pain of what he has lost. There was nothing else to lose and the man he had been yesterday, was not the being that he was right now.

Laughter rings out, carried along with the stench of burning death in the wind. The screeching sounds of mocking is enough to shatter glass and his teeth clench. A foe that would not die. An enemy that could not be defeated. He may have won an epic battle, but he had always known he could never win the war. Never, _never_, could he have foreseen how the war would be won though. If he had been given even an idea of this, he would have fought _harder_. He would have fought _dirtier_. He would have fought _better_. Now, it was too late and the amount of tragedy had no bounds. There was no accounting for just how much he had lost. It is only the seething hatred that keeps him from completely tipping over into the void of despair. Disdain, vengeful rage were his only weapons to call on now.

The ear splinting laughter of victory continues and he manages to tighten his features into a mask of blankness as he slowly looks up at the two figures looming over him.

"There now," coos the hated voice. "That is just what I wanted to see, Dear One."

The shudder is hard to suppress at the utterance of that dreadful nickname that she _still_ prefers to refer to him as.

"I was never anything dear to you," he hisses in response.

"Oh but you are," she disagrees with a light clucking sound. "You have always been."

"You have a very funny way of showing it," he retorts, pulling himself up to his full height. He refuses to turn his head to regard the other figure. His emotions are not stable enough yet to.

"You always had to be difficult," she chides with a devious smile. "Had you only accepted me the first time, none of this would have happened."

"I would no more be your puppet than you could die," he spits.

She shoots him an amused glance before turning to the person beside her.

Slowly and very deliberately, he takes a steady breathe into his nose before following her gaze and looks into one so like his own. His anger wavers and the sadness that fills is like a blow to his heart. It hurts so much that there is no further he could fail. Of everyone that he had failed, his wife, his children, his friends and his people, he feels his ultimate failure was staring at him right in the face.

"It was inevitable, Father."

"Was it?" he asks, allowing some of his sadness to show.

His son's poise and calm mirrored his own so closely, he can almost hear Stella's words from so long ago. Their son really was the image of his father. An image that seemed so distorted to the one she had pictured. They share the same features and the same demeanor but he feels the difference and it is a difference that makes his failure complete. The darkness that he had fought so hard to break way from had been embraced by his offspring. He is almost glad that Stella is already dead. Seeing Lunae as he was now would have killed her more painfully.

"Yes," was the curt reply. "You tried to fight something that was undefeatable."

"Does that excuse what you have done?" he growls angrily. "Your mother, your sister, your _family_ are all dead because of what you have done!"

"Eventually, we all die," replies Lunae easily. "You told me that, remember?"

His eyes narrow as he tries to remember saying those words. The memory flashes through him and his eyes widen just a fraction.

"That was what you would dream of in your nightmares?" he asks in stunned surprise.

"Only they were not supposed to be nightmares," Lunae replies with a nod. His red eyes turn to look at Etro with something disturbingly like affection. "I only thought they were because my loyalty was misplaced." He finishes with a snide, haughty look on his face and he shares a smile with Etro.

He can feel his stomach churn and he knows he is going to be sick. The bile rises in his throat and it is almost satisfying to imagine spewing his vomit at these two disgusting figures.

"You deserve each other then," he says, returning the snide look that both figures have upon their faces. Then his focus becomes entirely on Etro. There is one last thing he can use to his advantage. One last move that he can play in his favor. It is the last hope for their world and it is the last thing he will do to save his people. "It is pathetic that you had to settle for a copy instead of winning the original."

Etro narrows her eyes, then giggles before reaching a sickly pale hand to touch the side of Lunae's cheek. It reminds him of how one would stroke a cherished pet.

"I suppose he will have to do," she replies with a longing sigh.

The sudden stiffness in the younger man's shoulders catch his eye as he watches his son turn to look at Etro with a disbelieving stare.

"No matter what, you still lose," he says with a smug smirk. "You may have tainted my son, but you still have failed."

"A worthy substitute," she says flippantly, but the look she gives him gives away her displeasure. "Not as much fun as you though."

"Too easy to corrupt," he finishes her thought for her and he allows another smirk for his son. "A copy, no matter how good, is still just a _copy_."

Lunae actually cringes at the reminder and he realizes too late where the resentment is rooted. No matter the mask of indifference. This was his son. This was his firstborn. This was his legacy. There was still something inside there that he had power over. No matter what he did, no matter what crimes he committed, no matter the amount of wickedness he unleashed, he was still his son and he was his father. There is a stirring presence within his mind then and then another, more steady presence and he almost gives away his relief. The sigh and brief closing of his eyes is hard to suppress. Perhaps he has not entirely failed afterall. The light would always triumph in the face of darkness. All those things that he had asked and had received no reply, he felt answered now.

"You shall never be able to outrun my shadow," he tells his firstborn. His tone the one of fatherly counsel and he can feel the years that he has aged. How the effects of time had made him older. "Now you condemn yourself to loneliness, resentment and regret. The unfulfilled desire within your heart shall never be satisfied no matter what you do now."

There is that lost look that he remembers on his son's face. The one that he had seen when he had been a child and his heart mourns the loss of that innocence. When had he ignored the change? What had brought out the ugliness of his soul and displayed it upon his son? Why had he become neglectful?

_"Never, Father. You never neglected us."_

"But I won," growls Lunae angrily. "I showed you and I showed everyone else that I am the stronger. I am the better."

"There is only one thing you can do, Dear One," says Etro, bringing their focuses back to her.

Both men turn to her, one in surprise and the other in wait. The sudden clench of Lunae's jaw tells him that she had never used such an endearment to him.

"You can come to me freely and I shall let him go," she offers.

"What?"

"Another trade," he says flatly. "So soon you forget my last answer to a trade with you."

"Ah, but you forget that I have the advantage this time," she says with a smile that might have been pretty had he not known the figure so well. "You do not possess the powers of the Crystals any longer and you have no weapon to kill yourself again."

"Then why the trade?" he asks, managing to look just a tad gloating. "I would be of no use to you then."

She gives him that knowing smile of hers.

"You know why, Dear One," she answers.

Another shudder is firmly suppressed. To say that Death was a sick and twisted mistress was somewhat trivial and too plain to say, but this seemed just a tad too demented.

Lunae looks between them and he can see the anger rising on his son's face.

"You can wait for all eternity," he growls menacingly. As the two other presences within his mind draw forward, he knows what is to come. His time is over. "But my answer shall always remain the same." His gaze, once settled upon his child, turns mournful and he needs to say this before it is too late. "Forgive me for not being the father you wanted me to be," his tone is gentle and paternal and is filled with so much regret. "No matter what you have done, I shall always love you."

He see the tears brimming at the corners of eyes that mirror his own. Three quick steps bring him close and he pulls his son into one last tight embrace.

"Forgive me, Stella," he whispers, holding onto Lunae even tighter when he feels the resistance begin to build.

Inhaling sharply through his nose, he closes his eyes and focuses his strength.

"Lucis, Lumina, now!" he shouts to the two younger of his children behind them.

Etro's startled cry is cut short by a harsh vibrating sound like a sonic wave as it ripples out, encasing the entire city in fiery light. The bright white rays blind him and he shuts his eyes tightly as he clutches his firstborn to keep in place.

"No!" bellows Etro. "Not again!"

The searing pain as his flesh scorches under the heat of the light chokes a gasp from his lips and he hears the painful scream from the son in his arms.

His strangled cry rings out as he shoots up in remembered pain.

"Noctis!" comes the startled cry of his wife.

Lungfuls of air do not provide the oxygen he needs as his ragged breathing echoes. A warm, soft hand touches his back as a body rises beside his.

"Love, what is it?" she asks. Her other hand touches his cheek to turn his sweaty face to hers.

"Stella," he whispers in a shaky voice, before he clutches her in his arms and buries his face into her neck. "Stella."

"I am here," she reassures with a squeeze of her own around his waist. The reassuring comfort of her hand running through his hair brings out a sigh of relief.

The warmth of her body is a reassurance he needs to let the images float away to a more distant part of his mind. That had been the most vivid of his recent nightmares. The nightmares that had returned shortly after the tenth year of Lunae's birth. The whispers had become incoherent sighs and he can no longer understand the words. The Light above was beginning to flicker in slowly increasing rapidity. Warnings were flashing all around him and he feels helpless in a way he has not felt in a very long time. How does one change an inevitable future? His arms tighten around his wife.

"I cannot say whether it is better to know the future rather than remain ignorant until faced with it," he murmurs, keeping a tight hold of her comforting form.

"That bad?" she asks in that sweet manner of hers and he wishes he could absorb her into his skin.

They sit together, as they are, in a long moment of quiet soothing and he wonders how he shall ever be able to look forward to sleep again.

"Do you win?" she asks suddenly.

His brow crinkles at her question as he thinks it over.

"It does not matter," he whispers in answer.

"Yes it does," she says, pulling back to look into his face. Her hands bar the sides of his face as she gives him a stern look. "Do you win?"

It takes him two breathes before he nods his head and looks away. He could never tell her what he has seen. The knowledge that their son would be responsible for killing them all would kill her in a way that would be worse than death.

"That is all that matters," she says, returning to her previous position against him.

"It is too high a price to pay to consider it a victory," he says.

The visual of him holding her dead body in his arms is too vivid to endure. He needs the comfort that only Stella can give him. So he presses his lips to hers in a kiss full of need. A kiss she responds to as ardently as he gives it. The need to drown in her, to drink into the depths of her is the assurance he needs to remind himself that they were both alive. Tomorrow was still in the future and tonight was the time that he would not waste.

As she pulls him, his hand reaches beneath her shift and slides up against her skin. The soft, yielding flesh under his hand wipes his mind of things he would rather forget. Those extremes that he remembers he is forced to resort to in the future. That he had, had to hold his firstborn to be die with him. Protecting his son from the debilitating guilt that would consume him afterwards. What devastating effects it would cause… that thought gives him a longer pause. Before he even realizes what he is doing, his hand slides upward to gently press against Stella's abdomen. He startles and pulls away from her lips to see the confirmation on her face.

She laughs brightly, happily as she reaches for his face to kiss him again. His eyes remain open as their lips touch and he wonders how he could have missed it before. There is that glow about her again that cannot be mistaken.

"You took away my thunder," she accuses, trying to pout but failing in her joy. She reaches for his hand and repositions it to where another child was forming within her.

"Another?" he asks breathlessly. The shock of this accuracy almost chokes him with his dread at what this means.

"Did you not want another?" she asks, misreading the look that must be on his face.

He sobers with a hard shake of his head and manages an appreciative smile. Lowering again, he kisses her before stroking against her soft skin.

"I am happy either way, Bright Star," he answers truthfully.

She looks up at him with a sidelong glance.

"You knew," she says. "You have dreamt of him too."

"Him?" he asks, raising an eyebrow.

The narrowing of her eyes tell him she is not fooled.

"Him," she repeats firmly.

"How do _you_ know it is another son?" he asks.

Her patient sigh lets him know that she will not press for his answer.

"Like I knew I would have Lunae and Lumina," she answers. "I just know it is a boy."

"Did our children ever speak to you while they were in the womb?" he finds himself curious belatedly.

"No," she answers, as her head starts to shake but stops as she rethinks her answer. "I could make out small emotions here and there. Perhaps it is because they do not speak in words, but I could feel them." She looks into his eyes a moment in worry. "Will he be good?"

There are many ways to take that but he discerns that this is not a moment to make a light reply. He looks at her as if surprised and he finds he can answer her truthfully. In all honesty, the son she carried now would save the shattered remains of their world. The downside was that the rest of them would not be alive to see it. Yet, there is consolation in knowing that this little one would have the company of his older sister in the end. What future hopes and dreams would be trampled under the dark path that their firstborn would take? What could he do to prevent it? Could he even try to prevent it?

"Father?" calls a hesitant voice from the doorway.

When he looks at the boy, who in a few years would become a young man, he feels so many deeply cut emotions. The anger and resentment that he had seen in the man he would become were the complete opposite of the trusting, fearful one he was seeing now. Two pairs of red eyes look upon the other and the warring emotions must be evident in their faces and in the tension in their bodies. Stella nudges him so that she can sit upright again.

"What is it, luv?" she asks.

"I do not wish to bother you," Lunae responds hesitantly.

Noctis turns to check the time and mentally thumps himself.

"Forgive me, Lunae," he apologizes. He places a hard, wet kiss upon his wife's lips before leaving the warmth of their bed. "I was not paying a wit of attention to the time."

The appreciative excitement on his son's face makes his heart warm and he wishes he could demand his future self to explain why he had neglected his son in the coming, crucial years.

"Was it today?" groans Stella from the bed.

"Yes, Mother," replies Lunae with a grin. He has his hands behind his back as he rocks back and forth on his feet.

"Worry not, Bright Star," he reassures. "He will be doing wheelies before we know it."

"That is what I am afraid of," comes the grumbling reply.

"Come, young man," he says, reaching out his hand for the boy to take. "Your steed awaits."

The eager impatience radiating out of the little body beside him is infectious and they end up racing each other to the garage despite the lateness of the hour. It was the first official lesson on his miniature Umbra, custom built by his favorite uncle, Sapien. Even though he had given him the option of naming the bike any name he wished, the little one had insisted on naming it Umbra as well. He had found it curious then and he finds it telling now that he had kept the name. There was much that he would have to work on if he could even hope to change the course laid before them. Shaking his head, he puts his focus on where it should be and helps Lunae get onto his bike. Each moment together would be crucial.

"Father," Lunae mutters in a hesitant voice when they have finished his lesson.

"What is it, son?" he asks, turning from where he had been hanging his helmet on a hook.

"Am I meant to be bad?" comes the haunting question.

He closes his eyes briefly to shake the tremor of dread before he turns around and lowers to a crouch to be eye to eye with his boy.

"What do you mean?" he asks softly.

The torn, guilty expression on his young face gives him a strange sense of hope. If he could but keep that feeling there.

"I do not want mother to have another child," he growls, making the resentment clear.

"Can you feel the baby inside your mother, Lunae?" he asks. The answer is obvious but he wants to hear him say it. There had been no surprise in his expression earlier.

Black spiky hair bounces as his small head nods.

"Would it not be grand to have a little brother to play with?"

"No," is the firm reply.

"Why?" he asks patiently.

The question seems to make him hesitate and then his eyes look up at him resolutely.

"You will favor him before he," he says accusingly.

"Lunae," he says reproachfully. "You are my firstborn. It is yours by right to have all that I have. That makes you the one I trust the most."

The boy looks somewhat pacified but still not completely appeased.

"I cannot love you more nor less than your siblings. I love you equally," he says firmly. Already, his attachment and love for the child growing within Stella's body is deep. There is a protectiveness and an excitement in knowing that there would be an addition to their family. "But it is you who I shall leave the burden of the kingdom upon. It should comfort you to know that you shall have the support of your sister and a new little brother."

"I can be a great king all on my own!" he protests, closing his small hands into fists.

He wishes so fervently that he is misreading the beginnings of emotions that would lead to this little one's future ruin. It is a vague hope and he vows not to ignore it.

"No great king can be so without help," he counsels. "What would I do without your mother? Or without your uncles?"

Lunae does not answer but he can see the little mind thinking it through.

"To be a great king, you must be good," he adds.

That statement brings the guilty look back and his eyes fly to meet his uneasily.

"Will I be bad?" his voice sounds small and terrified.

The indulging, reassuring fatherly side of him wants to tell him no, but to start a lie now would be unforgiveable. Lunae might still be young in years but he has always been far more clever than he should be.

"That is not for me to answer," he says honestly. "Only you can answer that."

Lunae throws himself into his father's arms in fear.

"I want to be good," is the entreating reply, but it sounds hesitant and unsure. As if the boy cannot help being what he was. Much like he had felt at so young an age himself.

Placing a soft pat upon the dark head, he tries to be soothing but his thoughts are black as they remember the vision he has seen of the times to come. Faintly, creepily, he hears a faint whisper echo around him.

_I wait in slumber but not for much longer. You shall be mine… Dear One._

This is the end of the Lacesco Series.

* * *

Woohooo! 50 prompts fulfilled! My challenge has been met! Please check out my Profile for any update information on what I am working on next. I always keep that thing updated and will be revising the entire look of it within the next week. The next project to be worked on is the continuation of the _Writer's Choice _prompt. Please look for it once it has posted. As noted in my Profile, it will NOT be hidden in obscurity within the Xover section. As there is no Blassreiter section on FFN, I am putting it into the main Versus archive.

Thank you for reading!


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